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Tag: USElection
The Uberization of corporate political action
By Dieter Zinnbauer
With more than USD 12 billion spent the 2020 US election cycle may well have been the most expensive political campaign in the world so far. Yet in the shadows of this epic political contest another campaign unfolded that in my view provides some really interesting early signals on emerging trends in corporate political activity.
Alongside the national election Californians went to vote on a number of plebiscitary ballot measures. Among them Proposition 22 that like no other exemplifies how business lobbying unfolds in the era of what is often called the gig-and platform economy.
Prop 22, as it is known for short, was spearheaded by Uber and Lyft as a last ditch effort after exhausting all judicial and legislative tactics to win an exemption from a new Californian labor law that aimed to force these companies to classify their drivers as employees, rather than independent contractors.
A special type of thing
Leaving aside the merits of the argument – as consequential and hard to defend the position of Uber and peers may be- Prop 22 is remarkable on many fronts. It exemplifies the growing use of what was once meant to be a plebiscitary counterweight to corporate influence by these very corporate actors to advance their own interests.
It saw platform companies that connect millions of drivers and tens of millions of passengers in so called two-sided markets take fully advantage of these relationships by intensely lobbying and mobilizing these constituencies for their cause.
It witnessed the deployment of targeted push messages and suggestive survey snippets through the proprietary app infrastructure, administered and tracked by a black-box algorithm that also sets prices and assigns business opportunities and thus commands Foucauldian-like disciplinary allure. Which driver would want to be seen and classified to be unsupportive of the company's political project while the day's earnings depend on being assigned this one lucrative trip to the airport?
Ballot 22 also starkly illustrates the chimera of political equality or of even the resemblance of a level playing field in a world with unconstrained campaign expenditures that resulted in the gig-side outspending the labor side by a factor of 10 to 1. And it is truly remarkable in its brazen disregard of democratic legitimacy. It aimed to expressly derail a provision that was not hidden on page 1205 of a large body of complex legislation and stealthily whisked through without much public scrutiny. Instead it took aim at a piece of legislation that had been in the public, even international spotlight for quite some time, extensively discussed and lobbied on and resoundingly tested and confirmed in court.
Even more astounding, Prop 22 sought to prevent any future democratic course correction through including a clause that would require an unprecedented 7/8 supermajority in the legislature for overturning it – a much higher hurdle than is set for amending the US constitution.
All these features are fascinating in themselves and deserve a much more detailed examination which has already begun in academic circles, for example with regard to platform-led mobilization or data-driven corporate advocacy and to which I hope to contribute to in a longer essay elsewhere soon. Here and now I just wanted to offer some very early and unpolished ideas on one more, largely overlooked angle that makes Prop 22 and the corporate political actions of Uber et al. so fascinating.
In very broad brushes the thinking here goes as follows:
Businesses that are not explicitly chartered as public benefits corporations derive their social license to operate primarily by making a positive economic contribution in terms of innovation, resource efficiency et al. (and yes, by doing this as responsible corporate citizens that respect the spirit of applicable laws, planetary boundaries etc.). The longer-term ability of a company to be financially self-sustaining in a competitive, externality-free market situation is – absent any other claims about achieving non-financial societal benefits – a first approximation for such a positive economic contribution.
Society puts a higher economic value on the contribution of the corporation than the costs of its fairly priced inputs. The business model adds overall economic value, the business organization – not just the people involved in it as individuals claiming their citizenship rights – can invoke this overall economic contribution to justify a certain degree of standing in the democratic discourse.
Yet this is precisely not the case with companies such as Uber and Lyft. They have been losing vast sums of money for years, bleeding cash on every ride even while exploiting many regulatory gaps that lower their cost structures relative to their competitors in the ride-hailing business. All this was made possible by enormous sums of venture capital funding – USD 26 billion for Uber alone up until April 2020. Venture funders bet on those companies to eventually achieve a winner-takes-most status and commensurate pricing power in a market characterized by strong network effects and economies of scale /scope.
The envisioned route to economic dominance, however, also requires to simultaneously build and assert the political influence necessary to stave off regulatory efforts such as categorizing drivers as employees and many other pricey regulations that threaten to close the very regulatory arbitrage opportunities on which large parts of the business model of Uber, Lyft and other gig companies are ultimately built.
Overall this results in a situation where venture-funding is at least as much about blitz-scaling political power as it is about financing hyper-growth for market dominance. Both are necessary, both reinforce each other. The build-up of political good will and supportive constituencies is not a by-product of building customer loyalty. It is an essential part of the strategy to architect a business model that critically depends on regulatory accommodation and complicity. Yet, all along and rather ironically this heavy reliance on political action and political success stands in stark contrast to the relative normative weakness of claims made by companies without a clear route to profitability that cannot convincingly back up their political voice with an obvious net positive contribution to overall economic welfare. Stripping away all ornaments what's left is a story of VC-funded particularistic political rent-seeking.
Now, much more needs to be explored here and there are many holes that can be punched into this storyline as described in these very broad terms. So please check back here soon for a more developed version of this argument. In the meantime I would love to hear your comments and criticism to help advance this conversation.
Epi-epilogue
Uber et al. won Prop 22 by a large margin of 58% to 41%. Prop 22 turned out to be the most expensive ballot initiative in US history. So far. After the vote Uber's CEO announced in an analyst call that the company will "more loudly advocate for laws like Prop 22 [and] work with governments across the US and the world to make this a reality." The company continues to loose large sums of money.
Dieter Zinnbauer is a Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at CBS' Department of Management, Society and Communication. His CBS research focuses on business as political actor in the context of big data, populism and "corporate purpose fatigue".
Photo by ryan park on Unsplash
Posted on December 31, 2020 December 31, 2020 Categories About, CSR, Economic, Featured, Governance, Investment, Issues, News, Policy, RegulationTags #corporate, #economic, #lobbying, #lyft, #mobilization, #politicalaction, #politics, #trends, #uber, #venturefunding, USElection
The Task At Hand: Facing a Trump America
The following post by American CBS MBA student Wynne Lewis is an accompanying piece she wrote recently for the Financial Times' MBA Blog.
Titled "Case for responsible business post Trump and Brexit shocks", Wynne spoke to the shocks of the recent inauguration of Mr. Trump in the U.S. and the vote for Brexit in the UK. She argues that these events are creating many setbacks to the strides we have taken recently in favour of human rights and combating climate change. But they are also catalysts for positive change for the individuals who are fired up and ready to go stand up for what matters most – for example by contributing to a more sustainable economy by founding your own venture.
Read the full post on the FT MBA Blog.
In her latest piece on the CBS MBA blog, she now offers a little bit of inspiration to get you started with making a change.
By Wynne Lewis.
As Eleanor Roosevelt once said,
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
We fear regression, but there is much we can do.
I spoke with my classmates (representative of countries from all around the world), my professors, and visiting speakers and here is a little bit of inspiration to get you started.
For Employers / Employees:
Recognise the power of business. Do not be ignorant to your own influence. There is no such thing as an a-political corporation in the polarised climate under which we are operating today. Every decision must be intentional.
Create meaningful working class jobs. If your consumers are voting pro-nationalism, are they willing to pay a higher price for locally sourced products? Can you source your products or raw materials locally? Can you conduct market research to prove your case to investors? There may even be a risk management case to make for keeping the supply chain close for better transparency.
Treat your employees with respect and invest in their development. Look at the most recently hired/promoted people at your company. Are they a diverse group? Are you promoting from within? If not, chances are good that some of your talent is falling through the cracks or not being developed. It may not be intentional, but you can become aware of it and take strides to be sure you are capitalizing on your best resource – your employees.
If you have employees who may feel marginalised or unsafe in the current social climate sparked by the election, reach out and check-in with them. Do they feel safe in their commute to work? (This has been very relevant for many of my friends living in New York, so it is worth asking.) Is there anything you can do to help? Has the office climate changed at all for them? It is important that they are able to focus on doing a good job without feeling marginalised or harassed at work. Keep tabs on this. If handled with care, you will foster the establishment of a strong working environment and retain your talented minority (women included) workers.
Look for business opportunities. What was the change you were hoping for? Is there a gap in products/services today and the products/services we need to achieve that change? Your next great venture may just be hidden in the void.
You will know best how these things must ultimately align with a clear business case appropriate for your company, but it is important to point out those business practices that shape our countries, our politics, and ultimately our societies.
Divest from energy companies who are not investing in the future. Oil is booming right now with the recent elections, but the future will hold a diverse portfolio of energy sources. Companies who are only focused on fossil fuels are resisting innovation.
Be an active voter in the companies you invest in. If you hold stocks in companies that are doing things that you do not support – underpaying workers, polluting, vocalising racist sentiment – use your voice as a shareholder to change things. Be active and let them know that as an owner you do not support the way they are operating the business. Chances are high, you are not alone. Get other investors involved.
Invest in companies that are good for people, planet, and profit. There are many resources for those interested in impact investing. Read up and put your money where your values are.
On the personal side: invest in values you care about. Whatever they are, donate your time or money to the things that matter most. Create the world you want to live in and that you want your children to live in. Consider it a long-term investment.
The most important thing ultimately is to do something. So get out there, and be active.
Have some great ideas? Please add a comment below.
Based in New York, Wynne is currently enrolled as an MBA student at Copenhagen Business School. She was attracted to the Copenhagen MBA for its strong focus on Responsible Management and the promise of a global classroom. Post-MBA, she is toying with the idea of starting her own venture. She is a blogger for the Financial Times MBA blog, where she hopes to tell the story of what really powers her passion for Responsible Management on the far-reaching global business platform that is the Financial Times.
Pic by Pexels
Posted on March 23, 2017 December 16, 2017 Categories Concepts, CSR, Development, Equality, Ethics, Featured, Investment, Issues, Models, News, Philanthropy, SustainabilityTags #Activism, #Entrepreneurship, #Students, USElection
US versus Him
By Catarina Pessanha Gomes.
The past months constituted the culmination of a sequence of events, completely unthinkable even one year ago. These events led to the inauguration of a man that many consider unfit for its position, a man demonstrating unprecedented levels of intolerance, bigotry and racism, a man questioning the foundation of our political system, separation of powers, free press, equality of rights, one tweet at the time.
Like many of us, my heart has been hesitating between a deep state of anxiety for its future decisions and a slight nausea when looking at its proclamation as Time's person of the year. Yet, this got me thinking about the incongruity of reducing a whole sequence of events, times, peoples and places to a single individual, a troubled reflection of the individualistic tendencies of our societal and political system. While not dismissing the reality of asymmetrical power relations, the emphasis of this post is placed on the anonymous mass, the hidden collective power often forgotten by our political system, but also in our academic fields.
The common, collective, anonymous power is often left unstudied at the profit of the single individual, be it the President, the CEO or, in my academic field, the entrepreneur. Hence, I decided to put aside the overwhelming amount of research focusing on the personality of these special, heroic individuals, constituting a popular narrative of uniqueness and success, focusing instead on organizational studies calling for a comprehension of entrepreneurship in its everydayness, as a societal process with multiple actors and stakeholders rather than an individualistic phenomenon.
The sociologist Richard A. Peterson and Pardo´s studies open the door for considering entrepreneurship not as a special person or situation, but as an action commonly shared that can occur anytime. In this regard, the latter put forward a perspective on entrepreneurial moves through which citizens, here the popolino of Naples, create new possibilities in life, situating entrepreneurship beyond formal economy. Recognizing this collective entrepreneurial action is the first step towards serious political changes, as our democratic system needs to be modified to recognize, listen and integrate this common potential in the political game as a legitimate form of power.
Lyotard states that the world is composed of events giving rise to multiple interpretations, and maybe I really needed a new storyline to help me cope with the current events; maybe I could not make sense of Donald Trump as the final expression of what our society can produce. Nevertheless, for the next four years, I will keep in mind that politics also lies on the everyday, collective power that change society in the shadows, the men and woman giving a hand, creating, collaborating, in organizations or in the anonymity of their own houses, making "US" the people of the year, one action at the time.
Catarina is a PhD Fellow at the Department of Management, Society & Innovation at Copenhagen Business School. Her PhD project investigates partnerships between social entrepreneurs and public institutions, with a particular focus on how social entrepreneurship can be institutionalized.
Pic by the Office of the President of the United State
Posted on February 14, 2017 March 27, 2017 Categories Featured, Governance, Issues, Models, News, Philanthropy, Social, StakeholdersTags USElection
The CEO President
By Dan Kärreman.
President Trump is going to be different. So far most of the commentary has been focused on him as a trailblazer for white nationalism and populism, and for his unique personal qualities. This is understandable, since the marriage between white nationalism and populism was dissolved in 1964 in the USA when the Democratic party finally took a long hard look on its racist past and decided to become the party of civil rights, thus fracturing the mix of white supremacy and New Deal policies that had ruled the South since the implementation of the New Deal. And as for president Trumps personal qualities… let's say that we can expect unorthodox and colorful commentary on that front for the next four years.
Can Trump's business habitus compensate for a lack of experience in government & politics?
One aspect of Trump that has been overlooked is that he has no previous experience of government and politics. To the extent it has been an issue, Trump has largely managed to make this a point that has worked to his advantage as it has given him credibility in claiming that he is not part of the (corrupt) establishment. His celebrity has also compensated for the lack of name recognition that normally would hamstring the outsider candidate. But his lack of experience of government and politics is likely to have a profound effect on how he will operate as a president.
On the other hand, Trump has considerable experience of being a business president. He has worked a business executive for more than 35 years. In Bourdieuan terms, this is his habitus. Being a business executive is different (but not completely different) from being a politician. It is worthwhile to have a closer look on what we can expect from a business executive.
Authoritarian, KPI-driven and delegating responsibility
First, executives run on hierarchy. As an executive, it is a given that you have say-so in your domain. Operationally, this is perhaps not different from politicians who also mostly work in hierarchical arrangements. However, as a politician in a liberal democracy you must internalize the idea that you represent a constituency and at least pay lip service to the fact that power comes from the people. Not so for an executive, where power comes from the guy above you in the hierarchy. Fact is that executives are not only comfortable in authoritarian set-ups, they thrive on it. The authoritarian aspect of Trump's persona is perhaps the most grating one for the political class, where such tendencies are expected to be suppressed. They are unlikely to be troubling for most of the electorate though, since most people interact more frequently and more comfortably with executives than with politicians in everyday life.
Second, executives are driven by a narrow set of key performance indicators. The indicators can be played to some extent but they are also real in the sense that they operate as grading mechanisms for performance. Expect Trump to identify a narrow set of deliverables that he will insist to be evaluated upon. The most likely candidates are immigration (or rather deportation), trade, nominating socially conservative judges for the supreme court and infrastructure spending. Having said that, Trump is probably open for negotiation on this point. He does not appear to be particularly ideological (apparently, he has changed his party affiliation 5 times the last 15 years) but he would insist to have indicators that makes it possible to claim success. Success is very important for executives.
Third, executives delegate. This goes beyond the idea of the fact that it is impossible to be experts on everything. Executives are strong believers in the division of labor, in fact the whole idea of an executive is built on division of labor, and are comfortable in pushing out responsibility to subordinates. Delegation offers possibility for subordinates to prove themselves and to further their careers, thus creating bonds of loyalty between executives and subordinates. Politicians delegate too, but the career aspect of delegation is less pronounced. Politicians delegate to increase representativeness and to invite expert commentary. Put bluntly, executives delegate for reasons of expediency while politicians delegate for reasons of deliberation.
A Business presidency
Overall, we can expect a presidency that will work more like a business presidency than the typical political presidency. The authoritarian aspects of the business president are likely to be an ongoing source of frustration, since the US presidency in actual reality is a weak office with a lot of checks and balances (foreign policy is an exception but Trump does not seem very interested in this area). The importance of projecting success is likely to make the Trump presidency prone to unpredictable policy shifts. Finally, the promotion of expediency will open for a lot of semi-scandals and crypto-grafting since it promotes a potent but problematic mix of loyalty, initiative and patronage, qualities that sits uneasily with the ethos of public government.
Dan Kärreman is Professor in Organization and Management Studies at the Department of Intercultural Communication and Management at Copenhagen Business School. He is on Twitter.
Pic by Steve Baker, Flickr
Posted on November 29, 2016 March 27, 2017 Categories Featured, Governance, Issues, NewsTags USElection
Democracy Trumped – Understanding Trump's Propaganda
By W. Lance Bennett.
How did a brand magnate reality TV star with a vindictive style and no political experience become president of the United States? Why did so many people vote to ignore climate change, pull back from the global economy, and disrupt North Atlantic relations?
A few years back I asked a colleague in Italy to explain Berlusconi. He pointed to a corrupted and dysfunctional political system that angered voters enough to throw a bomb into government. Never mind that Trump, like Berlusconi, oozes a special corruption all his own. Most of the press and party elites missed the scale of angry emotion aimed at them by white working and middle class Americans. Indeed, the cosmopolitan press had long rendered these folk nearly invisible, brushing off the early warning signs of the Tea Party as a minor disturbance. And so, most media experts and party insiders engaged in knowing discussions of how impossible it would be for anyone to be elected with Trump's combination of inexperience, shady business dealings, and inability to manage his emotions and stay on script.
Winning votes through Marketing: emotio, not ratio
Meanwhile, Trump found and fed the white anger with simple, emotional messages, such as the promise to "drain the swamp" in Washington. He branded "Crooked Hillary" as the ultimate insider, with close ties to the banks, a trail of (largely manufactured) scandals, and trouble drawing a line between official business, the Clinton Foundation, and her ties to Wall Street. Despite the baggage that Clinton carried through the campaign, she did win the popular vote, and might have won the election had the (Republican) FBI director not renewed an investigation of her handling of official emails as Secretary of State.
This was the "October surprise" that sent many undecided voters, including a majority of white women, to Trump. Clinton tried in vain to get policy messages into the news, but Trump dominated the daily media spectacle with tirades against immigrants, government corruption, establishment politicians from both parties, the press, and the global economy. His clarion call at rallies was "I am your voice." When he mentioned Clinton, the crowds ritualistically chanted "lock her up," which he promised to do. Reporters were herded like cattle into fenced pens at rallies, and crowds shook their fists and chanted at them when Trump denounced the lying, biased media. Reporters needed Secret Service protection at these events.
A radical right social movement against the Establishment
Through his deft use of social and conventional media and relentless appearances at rallies, Trump created a movement that revealed, like Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primaries that selected Clinton, the emptiness of the US party system. The Trump revolt echoes the rise of the radical right sweeping European democracies. Traditional parties have become "hollowed out," in Peter Mair's term, uninterested in engaging voters beyond crude marketing campaigns at election time. The British felt this shock with the Brexit vote, and no fewer than 28 countries in Europe have radical right parties on the rise, or already in power and threatening basic democratic values. Even though the radical left is as numerous and angry as the right, it is burdened with identity politics and the romance of deliberative democracy, which undermines conventional party organization, leadership, and the capacity to generate appealing ideas that travel via simple emotional messages.
How cosmopolitan arrogance lost the election
The specter haunting democracy today is the legacy of centrist neoliberal elites, and the press organizations that cover them. The core democratic institutions of press and politics have failed to engage white working class populations that have been economic casualties of globalization. Perhaps even more troubling is the failure of the center left and right to engage white middle classes who are more the symbolic casualties of globalization. These are the god fearing Christians for whom racial and patriarchal privilege once offered social identity and status, and who now feel threatened by multiculturalism, immigration and Islam. Yet, neoliberal politicians from Tony Blair to Barack Obama have told them that globalization is irreversible, so get over it. Clinton's message of "stronger together" surely felt wrong to those who lived in Trump's America and wanted to make their nation great again – in their own image.
Popumisms greatest weapon is propaganda supported by social media
Beyond the lying mainstream press, which Trump helped his followers deconstruct every day, Trump's coded messages of resurgent white nationalism circulated through the alternative or "Alt" right media system in the US. This network includes radio talk personalities such as Rush Limbaugh, with 13 million listeners, who issued daily defenses of Trump's many miscues in the final months of the campaign. Among hundreds of Alt right websites is Breitbart with 19 million unique monthly visitors.
Late in the summer, when struggling with self-inflicted damage in the establishment press, Trump picked Breitbart publisher Steve Bannon to head his campaign. The campaign media team was soon joined by Roger Ailes, who began his political career reinventing Richard Nixon for the television age, and later headed Rupert Murdoch's Fox News channel until he was driven out by a sexual harassment scandal. Bannon and Ailes have visions of consolidating their victory by forging a Trump media network that will serve as a surrogate party organization, and bypass the mainstream press in keeping Trump propaganda flowing to supporters.
A new order?
In light of these trends, it is time to ask: What is the future of democracy given the imbalance between left and right, and the disdain shown by many victorious right politicians for civil liberties, moral tolerance, racial, sexual, and religious diversity, press freedom, and basic civility? Those of us who benefit from cosmopolitan societies and global economies have failed to notice that democratic institutions of press and parties have withered, while a new and more ominous political and communication order has emerged in our midst.
Lance Bennett is professor of political science and Ruddick C. Lawrence Professor of Communication at University of Washington, Seattle USA. His most recent book is News: The Politics of Illusion (10th Edition, University of Chicago Press). He is also founder and director of the Center for Communication and Civic Engagement. and is on Twitter.
pic by aux
Posted on November 16, 2016 November 29, 2016 Categories Featured, Governance, NewsTags USElection
Let's not waste the crisis of a Trump Presidency
By Dirk Matten
Last Tuesday's election in the US has left the world in shock. As entertaining, astonishing, at times surely revolting, the Trump performance has been during the campaign – I do not know anybody that would have predicted him actually making it into the Oval Office. But that is history now.
I found myself always harboring rather ambiguous thoughts and sentiments regarding Trump's ascent. But being surrounded by folks where even the slightest empathy with Trump made myself look like a total moron – I learned to keep my feelings to myself, not at least in the hope I somehow got this wrong.
To begin with, I was not at all surprised to see Trump win the election. In some ways, this outcome is the logical conclusion of more than three decades of neoliberalism in the US. It did not help that his opponent had virtually nothing to offer to counter the very anxieties that carried Trump over every however unlikely hurdle during the campaign.
With all the shock and depression now seeping through the mainstream media there is one thing I really cherish and find extraordinary about this election: Trump won this election as an, albeit wealthy, outsider – against the united front of the media, the political class and the moneyed elites in the US and beyond. It helped that he is wealthy but that is not the main point. Even fairly balanced media outlets, such as the New York Times or the The New Yorker, over the last months just read as thinly disguised pro-Hilary propaganda; out of 55 main newspapers in the US, only one (1!) endorsed Trump. And yet he won the election. This should give other forces in many liberal democracies something to ponder. It is possible to beat 'the system', and in some way I am a little confused why this enormous victory of bottom-up democracy is not celebrated for what it is.
Trump is a symptom
Of course the main problem with Trump is Trump-the-person. He did all but help himself in giving fodder to the public to embark on an almost two-year project of character assassination. But again, I happen to have a different take on this. Did he tell a lot of lies? Of course. But then let's not forget why Bush and Blair started the Iraq war. Lying is an integral part of US politics (and I am not even talking about his opponent's husband when dealing with his White House romance). Trump said preposterous things about women. But in some way he just bragged about things that actually no one enacted more by the book then his opponent's husband – covered up and tacitly supported by her for decades. Did he say racist things about Mexicans? Yes, but then let's have a look at the 2.5m 'aliens' the Obama administration deported between 2009 and 2015. Did he say absurd things about Muslims? He sure did, but again, what he expressed is already social consensus in the US. Just think of the many people bumped off airplanes in the US recently just because they 'looked' or 'spoke' like Muslims (i.e. terrorists). Oh, and he has no experience in political office, right? Have we all forgotten that the same was said – on good grounds, at that – of his predecessor? Yes, he was talking about 'bombing the sh** out of ISIS'. But wasn't that exactly what his Nobel Peace price winning predecessor actually did for eight years by chaperoning a global drone war that killed almost 5,000 (incl. ca. 500 civilians)?
All I am saying then is that the media still tries to paint him as 'unamerican', as against the current political culture, as a pariah. The truth is, however, that he just unapologetically verbalised what is common practice all long. The United States – and I am talking about the political and economic system, as well as about half of the population – are an inherently racist, bigoted, violent and unfair country these days. As much as one may reject Trump as president – I think that his presidency just tells the true and accurate story about the moral morass the country has gotten into over the last three decades. It is ugly, but it is nonetheless not just attributable to one symbolic person.
Which leads to a big, often ignored or belittled core question. Trump did win the election because about half of the American electorate agrees with him. The real question we have to ask is what happened to the oldest democracy, a country that – 70 years ago – pacified Europe and gave the continent a new political setup based on enlightenment values. We just have to acknowledge that these United States are history now and that the country has been indeed on a steep decline in cherishing some of the core values which made it the world's only superpower in the second half of the 20th century.
The America today is the America of 'Dogville', 'Manderlay' (as my Danish readers would appreciate) or 'A History of Violence', rather than 'Independence Day' or 'Forrest Gump'. Trump's majority is not just angry white men, as some want to make us believe. He represents a much wider fraction of American society as some of the poll's analyses now painfully unveil.
So, what is the agenda then?
So do we have to be afraid of a Trump administration? On balance, I would be rather relaxed here. Not that I am not worried about some aspects. The main of which would be that many of the things he said during the campaign – as much as I am convinced he said them just as a good marketer and with an eye on his target constituency – can have rather ugly effects on common people. He legitimised racist and violent language, and it is no surprise that we have, for instance, seen hate crimes rising. If what I hear from friends in the US just these last two days is anything to go by, his words have legitimised and empowered views and behaviours which for a long time were at least publicly suppressed. He has opened a pandora's box, for sure. And whether this spirit can be put back remains indeed an open question.
Beyond that, I feel very much reminded of Ronald Reagan's election in 1980. I remember people saying back then that 'Reagan is a 2nd rate actor, delivering a 1st rate performance at playing a 3rd rate president' and stuff like that. Reagan was initially a joke and a lot of what he said ('Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!') wasn't political correct or even sane at the time. I would really doubt if a three times divorced New York socialite will actually embark on some of the socially conservative projects (with regard to race, immigration or women's rights) which popped up so frequently in his campaign.
In some way the crucial litmus test of his presidency will be if he will be able to actually address the social and economic worries of his core constituencies. These issues are somewhat similar to the Sanders agenda, and the agendas of many other left wing political movements throughout the world. Will Trump be able to substantially improve the living conditions of middle- and working class Americans, regarding income, access to healthcare, education and other welfare state features? It is here where he has a real chance to become 'Reaganesque' – albeit in mostly reversing many of the political changes Reagan initiated in America and which ultimately brought the country to this dismal place.
So what to watch then in the business-society context?
So like any good paper, I should finally make the sharp turn on this blog to what editors tend to call the 'managerial implications' ☺ (I hope you get the joke…).
Actually, there are a few. My main point here is really that as much as Trump's presidency can be seen as a disaster, it is just a brutally espoused symptom of a failed economic and social experiment. What really puts me off is that even now post election many smart minds seem to run away from that conclusion and rather engage in a lament of the candidate's horrible character (as much as I agree, watching him and his lot on the stage Wednesday early morning was ugly- but that's a distraction).
It takes the sleazy, 'bridge and tunnel person' (as Manhattan establishment figures still derogatorily refer to him) from Queens to defeat a political system that is largely in the pocket of the moneyed elites, using corporations to make sure their class interests are dominating American politics. It is here that Hillary's defeat makes me happy indeed. With hers and her husband's massive obligations to the corporate world, we would just have continued the same system over and over again, behind the veil of the wonderful advancement of a woman president (btw, exactly the same thing we have seen with Obama, just replace 'woman' by 'black').
Trump's victory then spells out one simple fact. Capitalism (in the form we have cultivated it in the US and globally for the last four decades) and democracy are just not compatible. Democracy is more than just giving people a vote every four years. As T.H. Marshall has posited 'the fullest expression of citizenship requires a democratic welfare state'. Democracy only works if the electorate has some basic provision of a dignified life, a basic sense of participation in determining their material living conditions, as well as the basic education that allows informed and critical political choices.
It is fair to say that the neoliberal project has infringed, if not abolished, these basic elements of a vibrant democracy. Let's not forget, the ascent of the US as a superpower in the second half of the last century was built on the New Deal, on the idea that a vibrant democracy (in the face of the rise of fascism and communism in other parts of the world) needs a basic welfare state with the result of what we have come to know as a 'middle class'. The people that elected Trump all represent the part of American society that no longer enjoys these pivotal elements of a democratic community. That is why they fall for simple answers (be them racist, bigoted, religious, misogynist or otherwise).
One of the main driving forces behind these shifts has been the interests of capital, the interests of the wealthy elites, enacted through their control of private corporations. Culminating in the Citizens United ruling of the Supreme Court, we have witnessed the creeping and dominant interests of private corporations capturing the political process in the US over the last four decades.
It is indeed the pivotal role of private corporations which in my view is one core problem that the Trump victory epitomises. I am actually not pinning too much hope on the Trump administration itself to change anything substantial here. After all, with a republican controlled congress, and a democratic 'opposition' which is largely in the pockets of the corporate world, I don't see any hope for substantial change. The Obama administration was probably trying the hardest in recent history to move the agenda, be it in consumer protection, access to healthcare or regulating the financial sector – and we all know how well that went. The Affordable Care Act was a healthcare reform, that did not substantially infringe corporate interests and control. It very well might ultimately be considered as one of the key drivers that energized Trump's base – given the substantial rises in premiums during this last year.
No, I would, first of all, urge any scholar, any public commentator, anybody able to make a contribution to the debate we have to have here, to, first, not just dismiss this week's election as an outlier and something that can mostly be attributed to one crazy person. It is of the essence to see this election result as part of a fundamental crisis of western democracies – and the US is just again the showcase here. Brexit and the rise of the far right in Europe is just another symptom of the same problem.
What is the underlying problem here?
The core problem is the role of private corporations in the governance of society. On a macro level this implies re-thinking the big questions about regulating markets, most notably financial markets and labor markets. It also involves re-thinking basic institutions of welfare provision. This might also include a debate on new forms of division of labor between the private and the public sector. Since for technological and (geo-)political reasons it will not be able to just turn the clock back to the 1950s new forms of non-employment based welfare models need to be discussed and developed, including things like basic income and other new institutional arrangements. We basically have to invent new – or reinvigorate to some degree old – forms of income redistribution, through intelligent new forms of taxation and other ways of addressing the vast inequalities. Mind you, the urge to change our current model of capitalism is no longer some sort of leftist or anti-corporate agenda. It is meanwhile becoming more and more clear also to business leaders that the current capitalist system, and particularly the role of corporations within it, is no longer sustainable. As some of those CEOs, such as Dominic Barton (McKinsey), Paul Polman (Unilever) or Ratan Tata (Tata Sons) argue, we have to 're-imagine' capitalism in substantial ways (see Kipping/Barton/Horvath 2016).
On a meso level, we need more thorough work on a re-conceputalised role of the corporation, and its essentially political nature. As Robert Reich outlined time and again, the corporation in the US is just dominated by two interest: ultimately by shareholders, i.e. capital, and on a more instrumental level, by consumers. And this is still the accepted model, more or less, in business school academia and teaching. Not that we have not seen efforts recently to change this (see for instance Baars/Spicer 2017). This effort though has to be sustained, broadened and conducted in a more interdisciplinary mindset.
Ultimately, on a micro level, the relation between corporate management – across all disciplines – and the public good has to be re-introduced as a legitimate field of inquiry. So far, most of the business school research never really transcends the traditional management model of corporations being just economic actors. That even applies to the subfield on which one might pin the highest hopes: research in corporate (social) responsibility, ethics or sustainability. But even this subfield is largely constrained by a thinking in business cases and even new offshoots, such as the debate on 'political CSR' never quite embraces a political role of business beyond these constraints.
For a short blog such as this one, there remains of course a lot more to say. I just wanted to put some thought triggers together. Quite often – and in my view quite falsely – commentators have evoked the comparison with Germany 1933 when evaluating Trump's rise to the presidency. Donald is no Adolf, sorry, and Washington 2016 is nothing like Weimar 1933. But if you twist my arm, I would allow one parallel here. The historically most successful reaction to the depression of the late 1920s still is the New Deal. While I am also aware that Trump is no FDR, this situation of apparent crisis should, first of all, enable a more open and honest discussion about the reasons for Trump's ascent. And we can all agree that this IS a crisis indeed. But we should capitalise on this crisis to develop new ideas around the way we have organised social and economic life in liberal democracies. The one certainty we can take away from this is then that the role, functions and impact of private corporations is at the heart of such a debate.
Exciting times then for business related scholarship!
Baars, G. & Spicer, A. (Eds.), The Corporation: A Critical, Interdisciplinary Handbook. Cambridge/New York: Cambridge University Press
Barton, D., Horvath, D. & Kipping, M. (Eds.), Re-Imagining Capitalism : Building a responsible, long-term model. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press
Dirk Matten is Hewlett Packard-Chair in Corporate Social Responsibility and Professor of Strategy at Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto. Since 2015, he visits CBS as a research fellow. You can visit his website and drop a tweet @dirkmatten .
Pic by The Economic Times
Posted on November 11, 2016 November 29, 2016 Categories Citizenship, Development, Featured, Governance, Issues, NewsTags USElection
How Could the Democrats Get it so Wrong?
By Jette Steen Knudsen.
Today I heard Hillary Clinton give her concession speech after one of the most surprising electoral results in US history. Mrs. Clinton was poised, calm and calling for her supporters to give Donald Trump a chance to lead for the good of the USA. The facial expressions of her supporters said it all – they looked stunned, disappointed and many were in tears.
It should have been an easy win for Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton was supposed to have won the election by a solid margin. Her polling figures were strong even after F.B.I. Director Mr. Comey just days before the election announced that the F.B.I. had discovered new emails that might be relevant to its investigation of her, which ended in July this year with no charges. Mrs. Clinton was a strong and knowledgeable candidate on the campaign trail. In contrast Trump time and time again looked like he did not know what he was doing, which made him an easy target for Saturday Night Live or other comedy shows. Many well-known Republicans also refused to support Donald Trump's candidacy. The Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan refused to campaign with or defend Donald Trump during his presidential campaign. Former Republican Presidents George W. Bush and George W.H. Bush refused to endorse Trump, as did Colin Powell, the former Joint Chiefs of Staff and a well-known Republican. It should therefore have been a walk in the park for Hillary Clinton. As her ally Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts said on Election Day on local television: "Thankfully soon we will no longer have to care about what Donald Trump has to say". But Mr. Trump won the election carrying several states that traditionally vote for the Democratic candidate. What went wrong for Mrs. Clinton?
This Country is More Divided Than We Thought
In her concession speech Hillary Clinton concluded with a somewhat surprised look on her face "this country is more divided than we thought". In contrast while her campaign may not have understood the extent of the polarization of the American electorate, Donald Trump clearly understood the strong discontent and feeling of exclusion among especially white non-college educated men. Back in July the filmmaker and social critic Michael Moore wrote that Trump needed only to focus on the blue states Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania and noted his theory of "The Last Stand of the Angry White Man." "There is a sense that the power has slipped out of their hands, that their way of doing things is no longer how things are done," Moore wrote.
What's the Matter with Kansas?
But why do so many Americans seemingly vote against their interest? In 2004 the journalist Thomas Frank published a book with the title "What's the Matter with Kansas? – How Conservatives Won the Heart of America". Mr. Frank asks why poor people in the heartland of America vote Republican when – at least for people of the East and West coasts of the US – the Democrats are the party for workers, the poor and the weak. In other words, why do so many Americans vote against their economic and social interests? Mr. Frank answers this question by examining his home state Kansas and reveals how conservatism, formerly a market of class privilege, became the creed of ordinary Americans. This conservatism has mobilized voters with explosive social issues such as busing, un-Christian art and abortion and these issues then get married to pro-business economic policies. Add to this that in states such as Michigan and Pennsylvania traditional manufacturing jobs have been lost as factories or mines have closed downs. Service sector jobs don't pay as well as manufacturing jobs. For example Wal-Mart or Dunkin Donut pay the minimum wage, which in Michigan is $8,50 /hour and in Pennsylvania only $7,25/hour. At the same time health care costs and college tuition have soared in America. It is no wonder that white unskilled workers feel left out of the American Dream. Mr. Trump's promise to "Make America Great Again" resonates well in the American Heartland.
Democrats on the Coasts
Well-educated high earning Americans live in the coastal areas in cities such as Boston, San Francisco or Los Angeles – and they overwhelmingly vote Democratic. The Democratic Party also made great attempts to include Blacks and Latinos but as a commentator in the New York Times (which had endorsed Mrs. Clinton) conceded this past Sunday, Trump has done one thing right – he has acknowledged that Blacks have not gained much economic or civil rights advances in recent years and that he understands their frustration. East and West Coast liberals have simply failed to understand the frustration of Middle America – and the majority of Clinton's campaign staff hails from the coasts. The Democratic campaign has probably underestimated the frustration of Blacks and Latinos because although Clinton got more votes from these two groups than Mr. Trump, she got significantly less votes from these groups than President Obama did in 2012.
Midterm Exam Postponed for Teens Mentally Disturbed by the Election Result
The Democrats on the US coasts do not understand Mr. Trump's supporters and sometimes live in a "bubble". For example my son's great public high school in Cambridge in Massachusetts is one such bubble. Cambridge is one of the most liberal cities in the US and is also known as "The People's Republic of Cambridge". Students at the high school expected a Clinton victory and almost all students supported her. After the election result came in today, many students were grieving. Many were crying and today's midterm exams were postponed because too many students were psychologically distraught. This small example illustrates how far the East Coast liberal segment is from Trump's Middle America.
To unify America will be a long and difficult process.
Jette Steen Knudsen is Shelby Collum Davis Professor at Tufts University near Boston and a Visiting Fellow of the Velux Endowed Chair of Corporate Sustainability at Copenhagen Business School. She resides in Cambridge MA with her teenage son.
pic by Heat Street
Posted on November 10, 2016 November 29, 2016 Categories Featured, Governance, Issues, News, SocialTags USElection


This snare is in great shape!
No pitting, wear, or component issues.
All original except for the heads!
From DW: "Custom-inspired, with a new Quarter Turret lug, low mass die-cast claw hook, new badge, logo head and your choice of 4 hand-sprayed Specialty Lacquer, a Tobacco Satin Oil, or 4 ultra-durable FinishPly™ finishes, it's designed to get noticed and most importantly, Performance sounds like what you'd expect from DW. Easy to tune, superior sounding HVX shells, along with DW heads by Remo USA, STM™ (Suspension Tom Mounts), True Pitch™ Tuning and DW 45 degree back-cut bearing edges, all make these drums sing. "


London is a wonderful city – and one of the most expensive in the world. Visitors can flit in and out, but living here can be tough on your finances.
This doesn't spell the end of enjoying working and living in the capital. There are many ways to make the most of the pound in your pocket, from finding low-cost accommodation to dining out for free.
London has fantastic public transport, but if you're not canny with your Oyster card you could end up paying more than you need to. Use the TFL website to work which sort of ticket suits you best and do some digging to understand the intricacies of how and when to pay.
If you live on the periphery of one of the outer zones on the Tube, consider walking into the next closest zone and starting your commute from there.
Remember also that the Tube map is confusing; many stations are closer than they look, especially in central London. This could save you time and money, since it might be quicker to walk between locations than to get on the Underground and incur a charge.
Cycling costs you nothing. Reduce the risk of having your bike stolen by buying one that looks decrepit, but is mechanically sound.
Perhaps the biggest expense anyone will face in London is rent. While there are ways to mitigate this – move further out from the city centre or share with other people – perhaps a tactic most people haven't considered is becoming a 'live-in guardian'.
In essence you become something between a security guard and a short-term tenant, living in a commercial property that would otherwise be empty. Obviously this won't be suitable for everyone's lifestyle but it could save you thousands of pounds in rent.
Tip one: only eat out if you want to treat yourself. Buying a coffee and meal each lunchtime will cost you tens of thousands of pounds over the years. Make lunch at home and take it to work.
Tip two: One of the biggest ways to save money is to recce your local grocery stores to see what their prices are. You might find that walking to a shop two minutes away, rather than 30 seconds closer, could save you a lot of money over the year; cash that could go towards a takeaway treat or even pay for a night out.
Here's an example of how strange food pricing is in London: the large Morrisons supermarket in my area is cheaper than the local Tesco Metro. Yet my nearest corner shop is cheaper than both, but only for milk, pickles and avocados. And my family-run greengrocer is cheaper than all of them for bananas and fresh herbs. All of these shops are in walking distance of each other.
For big savings, consider doing a monthly shop at the nearest large supermarket and planning your meals around it. Even if you get a cab back, you could save hundreds of pounds a year. You should also find out when stores put their almost-out-of-date food on sale – this one tip alone could save you a lot of money.
Tip three: Look for local cafes and restaurants when you want to eat out. Part of coming to London is exploring the food scene, but that can sometimes mean going to a place that's well known, rather than somewhere that's well liked. That seemingly-grotty kebab shop on the high street could be hiding fantastic food at reasonable prices.
There's always something going on in London and often it will be free. Bookmark Time Out's Cheap London section and you'll find all sorts of things to go to. You should also arm yourself with The Guardian's weekly Guide. If you're interested in meeting new friends use MeetUp.com and, finally, go to your local library and see its messageboard for what other people in your area are organising.
If you want to go out in the West End, look for theatres selling early bird tickets –for showings before peak time – or late tickets, ones that haven't been sold or where people haven't turned up. I had a great night out with a friend by doing this.
If you're a film buff, consider signing up for two-for-one cinema tickets at Compare The Market (you'll need to buy insurance through them) or, if you like quirky and cult movies, try The Prince Charles cinema in the West End. This venerable institution has been offering super-cheap tickets for late-run films and sing-a-longa events for many years.
While everyone knows that Last Minute is great for events such as plays and musicals, Hot UK Deals is another service that has all sorts of weird and wonderful offers, updated by its readers. While this website isn't London specific, you can find unexpected deals for shops and restaurants in the capital, amongst other things.
How? Become a mystery consumer by joining Secret Squirrels. They organise vetted diners to visit restaurants and cafes to check out the food and service. You have submit a report on your experience after your visit, but it's a great way to try out different cuisines and it costs you nothing.
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Virginia Beach-based lifestyle boutique, Commonwealth, helps drives the "cool factor"
Former Portsmouth Police Chief Angela Greene has told the city she plans to sue
A man drove to Virginia Beach to kill his wife. He ended up paralyzed and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Indictment: Suffolk pair took $2M for cars, boat
There will be a new, temporary traffic pattern on I-64 westbound starting next week, VDOT says
Virginia Beach company that bought Janaf faces legal threats and financial woes
By Elisha Sauers
The ex-CEO of a real estate investment trust has sued the company he founded for not giving him a severance of nearly half a million dollars after his firing.
The lawsuit, which may force Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust to disclose why it ousted Jon Wheeler in January, comes as the publicly traded firm is in upheaval. Saddled with a heavy burden of debt and a tanking stock price, the company that bought Janaf Shopping Yard in Norfolk at the beginning of the year is struggling to prove its viability to investors.
When the market opened this week, shares were at about $4, down from a 52-week high of $12.30. The company recently hired one of its lenders, Key Bank, as an adviser to investigate all options, including putting the business up for sale.
Though the company survived a challenging first quarter, it faces the possibility of other legal action from an activist investor. A Houston-based shareholder, JCP Investment, claimed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing that the firm has failed to maintain the value of its assets relative to what it would cost to buy back its preferred stock at $25 per share, plus dividends. The investor has given the firm until June 8 to fix it.
Mary Jensen, a Wheeler REIT spokeswoman, referred questions to CEO Dave Kelly, who didn't respond to inquiries regarding Wheeler's termination, the activist investor's complaint and litigation.
Wheeler, who founded the namesake company nearly two decades ago and took it public in 2012, filed his lawsuit last week. Because the board hasn't elaborated on what it alleges he did to warrant being fired "for cause," the former executive believes the company owes him money.
Based on a formula established in Wheeler's employment contract, the founder claims he is due $475,000 in severance, an amount equal to his base salary in fiscal 2017, plus the value of a year's worth of insurance. He estimates those combined benefits would be about $7,820.
Wheeler declined to discuss his case.
The board fired him Jan. 29, less than two weeks after the company closed on Janaf, a more than 850,000-square-foot shopping center off Military Highway. At $86 million, the center, anchored by BJ's Wholesale Club, T.J. Maxx and Petco, was the largest acquisition in the firm's history.
Defending the Janaf purchase, Wheeler previously said he thought its location, close to Norfolk Premium Outlets and the future Ikea, would continue to draw business. That, coupled with the city's long-term plan to encourage development in that area because of its higher elevation, made it a worthy investment, he said.
But whether Janaf or its financing had anything to do with the firing isn't clear: The company hasn't discussed the termination. Wheeler, according to his lawsuit, "has inquired on numerous occasions for an explanation of the alleged cause, but has been rebuffed at each overture."
There may be other factors at play. The business' stock price had been declining long before it closed on Janaf. It has significant loans that have been on short-term renewals. And the bankruptcy filing of Southeastern Grocers, the parent company that owns BI-LO and Winn-Dixie, threatens some of the properties where its supermarkets are anchors. The bankruptcy court must approve some of the lease modifications.
The firm's financial statements and Wheeler's divorce proceeding with Kimberly Wheeler reveal complicated ties between the business and its founder.
Jon S. Wheeler (center), Chairman and President of Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust Inc., rang the Opening Bell at the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square to celebrate the company's initial public offering, which took place on The Nasdaq Stock Market on Monday, Nov. 19, 2012. (Zef Nikolla)
Prior to going public, Wheeler had privately acquired some property, such as shopping centers and self-storage facilities, known as the "legacy assets." In 2014, the company began managing and leasing those properties. But Wheeler terminated those contracts after he was fired.
He also terminated a development agreement on another asset in Hilton Head, S.C., known as Sea Turtle Marketplace. Wheeler got a $12 million loan from the company to build the project, with the intention that the company would manage it. Now the business is on the hook for the loan. It recently wrote down the loan's value to $5.3 million and considers $2.36 million that it would have received in management fees, leasing, interest and other projects to be bad debt. During a recent earnings call with analysts, Kelly, the new CEO, said they intend to "review and pursue all options available" to recover the funds.
As the company's stock cratered over the past year, it affected a $1 million personal loan Wheeler took in 2015 from Key Bank, the same lender that had a $50 million credit line with the company. The personal loan, for "general working purposes," was secured with company stock. But when shares plunged to about $8 last May, the loan was more than $255,000 under water. When asked what the money was for and how the issue was resolved, Wheeler said only that the loan had nothing to do with the real estate firm.
In an interview with The Pilot in February, Wheeler said he felt confident the board wouldn't cite any personal misconduct among its findings.
"There's nothing derogatory, nothing suspicious," he said then. "God forbid, all the stuff that's going on with the Harvey Weinstein effect these days, nothing of that sort. No, absolutely not."
In his pending divorce, Wheeler's wife, Kimberly , who is legally separated from him, accused her spouse of having a "paramour" who was an employee. Based on company materials, the employee apparently hasn't worked at the firm since about the time of Wheeler's firing. The former employee, who works with Wheeler in his new venture, Wheeler Real Estate Investments LLC, didn't respond to an email seeking her comment.
Wheeler said this week he doesn't believe his termination had anything to do with a perceived relationship; he speculates it was because some investors were upset over the way the company financed Janaf. Wheeler also said he didn't and doesn't currently have a relationship with the former employee.
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"Look, I'm friendly with a lot of people, both male and female, and I've got a lot of great relationships that still remain at the company, and also people that have since left the company that used to be employed there when I was the chairman and CEO," he said. "Anything beyond that? No."
Kimberly Wheeler said she can't discuss anything involving her husband because they are both under protective orders in the pending divorce.
As of April, the company owned and operated 65 centers, an office building, seven undeveloped properties and one redevelopment project in mostly smaller markets among a dozen states. Wheeler remains a significant stockholder in the company but owns less than 5 percent, he said.
Staff writer Kimberly Pierceall contributed to this report.
Elisha Sauers, 757-222-3864, elisha.sauers@pilotonline.com
Jon Wheeler
Janaf
Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust
Newsroom Initiative
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you've been following my blog over the past year, you've probably noticed that I have succumbed to an addiction. Yes, it's true. I'm addicted to Iron Orchid Designs Decor Transfers.
I discovered them back in March when I saw one on a Facebook group I belong to, How to Paint Like a Pro. I promptly ordered two of them online. My first project with a Decor Transfer was the cupboard where I store my painting supplies (well, to be honest, just some of my supplies fit in this cupboard, there are two more cupboards full of supplies in other rooms of my house, who's with me on that one?).
I love these Decor Transfers so much that I went on to do countless projects with them over the last 8 months (some of my faves can be found here, here, here and here).
So you can just about imagine my delight when I found out that Fusion and Iron Orchid Designs/Prima Marketing were teaming up. Now Fusion retailers have the option of also stocking the IOD Decor Transfers. And as an official Fusion Mineral Paint Blogger, I was offered the opportunity to receive some IOD products to try free of charge!
I believe I did a little happy dance when that message came across my computer.
But then I was stopped in my tracks by that word, 'try'. Hmmmm. I have to admit, I felt like I would be a bit of a fraud if I sent back a big list of Decor Transfers that I wanted to 'try'. After all, technically I'd already tried almost all of them, many of them more than once! And some of the ones that I hadn't tried yet, I already had in my cupboard (yes, that same one shown above) waiting to be used on something. I've had poor Mr. Q ordering IOD transfers for me via Amazon for months (he himself is an Amazon addict).
So it felt a bit greedy to ask for more!
But guess what? Prima Marketing and IOD have some other cool products too, like their Decor Stamps.
These are stamps that are designed and sized appropriately for use on furniture or for other home decor applications, like walls for example.
So, ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! I asked them to send me some of their Decor Stamps to try, as well as their 10″ x 12″ acrylic stamp block.
If you are not familiar with changes that have been made in rubber stamps over the past number of years, you may not be aware that many of them no longer come adhered to a wood block. Now they make them out of a sticky rubber-like stuff that sticks well to a clear acrylic block, but also peels right back off again. It's so much easier to store lots of flat sheets of stamps and just one acrylic block (or several of differing sizes).
When my box arrived from Prima Marketing it was like Christmas came early for me. I immediately opened it up and started fondling the supplies. I decided to try a quick little project just to test them out.
I purchased this wooden sock stretcher at a garage sale last summer.
Back in the olden days when socks were made with wool, after you washed them you then put them on a sock stretcher while they dried. That would ensure that the sock didn't shrink up and no longer fit. But when I see these old sock stretchers, I always immediately think 'Christmas decoration'.
So I thought I would use the IOD stamps to give them a little more Christmas style.
I started by laying out my design right on the sock stretcher.
This way I could move the stamps around and make sure they fit where I wanted them. These stamps are from the Alpha II set, by the way.
Once I had them where I wanted them, I simply placed my acrylic block (this is a block I already had, I didn't need the big 10″ x 12″ IOD block for this small design) over them and pressed down to attach them to the block.
Next I lifted them off the sock stretcher and inked them up.
Although Prima Marketing/IOD does currently carry some inks, and they did send me a couple, they are not going to continue to carry ink in their line up. So I went to my local Michaels and purchased some Ranger Archival Ink in a color called Watering Can. You can use any kind of ink with the stamps, but be sure to choose one that is suitable for your project (especially if you are stamping fabric, which I hope to try soon). In this case, I went with a permanent, waterproof ink.
You should absolutely test out your stamp on paper a couple of times before finally stamping your project. That way you can get a feel for it, and work out any kinks. You can see if you are getting enough ink on your stamp as well. Always be sure to have your project on a hard, flat surface when stamping. Of course, if you're stamping furniture or walls, they will be their own hard, flat surface.
Finally, ink up your stamp again, place it where you want it and press down firmly. I usually avoid rocking the stamp back and forth because that can blur your design. Just press firmly straight down.
I added this sweet little crown to the top of my sock stretcher.
The crown is from the Grain Wreath set. What I love about this is that the crown doesn't look 'new' or recently added. It looks like it could be an original detail.
Next I attached a pretty ribbon and hung my 'sock' up on the aforementioned cupboard.
This was a pretty simple, basic project using the stamps. As you can imagine, the sky is the limit design-wise, but I wanted to start out with something easy to get my feet wet (or get my wool sock wet?). I'll be sharing a slightly more advanced stamping project soon.
But in the meantime, I'm almost entirely happy with my sock stretcher except for one thing. I think she looks kind of lonely hanging there all by herself. She needs a mate, don't you agree?
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more sock stretchers during next year's garage sale season!
In the meantime, have any of you tried the IOD Decor Stamps? If so, I'd love to hear about your project, so be sure to leave a comment.
Previous jodie's house, part 2.
It looks really pretty hanging on your cabinet, Linda. Love that garland too.
Thanks Becky! I found that garland at an after-Christmas sale last year.
My first thought was you didn't paint it first but after seeing the stamp on it, it looks good. The ribbon added a bunch to it. My second thought after seeing it hanging was wow that's gigantic. I don't think I have ever seen one before.
You've caught on to my secret plan, which was to test the stamps on the unpainted piece first. If I didn't like the way they turned out, I figured I could always paint the entire thing and then start over. But as it turned out, I loved the result the first time around!
Am I the only one who noticed the awesome black and white ribbon attached to the sock? Love it! Not sure why that was the first thing that caught my eye. Love the sock against your cupboard…hope you happen upon another sock mold…pretty cool!
It's that graphic punch of black and white, it always draws the eye! I've got a stash of that ribbon that I keep on hand for all kinds of things.
Amazing. I just bought 3 of those socks! I knew that I wanted to use them for Christmas. I love the simplicity of the stamps. Thanks Linda.
That's awesome that you have 3 of them Monica! Your socks won't be lonely like mine is 😉 I love the simplicity too. Even just adding the crown alone would have been a nice touch, but I think the No. 25 helps it feel a tad more Christmas-like.
I like the wire stretchers too, although it's harder to come up with a way to spruce them up for Christmas. Perhaps with just a sprig of evergreen and a pretty ribbon at the top? I think pairing up wire sock stretchers with one or two wooden versions would be a fun look too. Go save those from the basement!
The best thing about the acrylic block versus the old wood block is that you can see where you are stamping. I might add, because of one of your blogs using an IOD transfer I have ordered one for a tea keeper I'm painting, a box that I have painted to store all our various teas in as the cupboard was getting a little messy as we sift through them to find the tea we want. This way, the tea containers sit down in the box and we can read the labels when we lift the lid.
P.S. The sock stretcher is very cute.
Yes, I agree totally about the see-thru quality of the block. It's so much easier to keep your stamp straight when you can see exactly where it is going! I love your idea for a tea keeper, I am sure it will be fab!
The sock stretcher is pretty subdued, but does look like the design is original to the age of the stretcher. Will be checking them out as I like the idea of reusable versus on two uses with the graphics.
Yes! Excellent point Sugar. I will be sure to make that point when I post about using the stamps on furniture. Unlimited usages makes them a great value for the cost.
Really a cute idea! I have never seen stamps like those. I too like that you can see where you are stamping. I have seen very few sock stretchers except in old magazines, now I would like a pair or two!
You'll have to keep your eyes peeled for some sock stretchers now!
I love the sock stretcher and the details. You are so creative! I have never used the stamps before, so thanks for the tutorial!!
Hun, have you seen my sock stretchers anywhere? My wool socks are fitting a little too tight. Dang it, I just had them the other day!
That looks like a fun technique! The piece looks beautiful!


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import views.html.membre.ajax.informationsComplementaires;
import views.html.membre.ajax.stadeSexePrecis;
import views.html.membre.ajax.photo;

public class DeposerObservation extends Controller {
	/**
	 * Affiche la page où on dépose une observation
	 * @param observation_position
	 * @param groupe_precedent_id : le groupe sélectionné précédemment
	 * @return
	 */
	@Security.Authenticated(SecuredMembre.class)
	public static Result main(Integer observation_position, Integer groupe_precedent_id){
		return ok(observation.render(observation_position,groupe_precedent_id));
	}

	/**
	 * Met à jour la liste d'espèce pour un groupe donné
	 * @param groupe_id
	 * @return
	 */
	@Security.Authenticated(SecuredMembre.class)
	public static Result getListeEspeces(Integer groupe_id){
		Groupe groupe = Groupe.find.byId(groupe_id);
		return ok(listeEspeces.render(groupe));
	}

	/**
	 * Affiche une information complémentaire pour une observation donnée.
	 * @param observation_position
	 * @param groupe_id
	 * @param complement_position
	 * @return
	 */
	@Security.Authenticated(SecuredMembre.class)
	public static Result getComplement(Integer observation_position, Integer groupe_id, Integer complement_position){
		Groupe groupe = Groupe.find.byId(groupe_id);
		return ok(informationsComplementaires.render(observation_position,groupe,complement_position));
	}

	/**
	 * Donne la liste des stades_sexes ayant comme père le stade
	 * d'id stade_sexe_pere_id.
	 * @param groupe_id
	 * @param stade_sexe_pere_id
	 * @param observation_position
	 * @param complement_position
	 * @return
	 */
	@Security.Authenticated(SecuredMembre.class)
	public static Result getStadeSexePrecis(Integer groupe_id, Integer stade_sexe_pere_id, Integer observation_position, Integer complement_position){
		Groupe groupe = Groupe.find.byId(groupe_id);
		StadeSexe stadesexe = StadeSexe.find.byId(stade_sexe_pere_id);
		return ok(stadeSexePrecis.render(stadesexe,stadesexe.getStadeSexeFilsPourTelGroupe(groupe),observation_position,complement_position));
	}

	/**
	 * Affiche la photo de l'insecte en question
	 * @param espece_id
	 * @return
	 */
	@Security.Authenticated(SecuredMembre.class)
	public static Result getPhoto(Integer espece_id){
		return ok(photo.render(Espece.find.byId(espece_id).espece_photo));
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Russian Helicopters, August 17, 2017 - Moscow - Russian Helicopters Holding Company (part of Rostec State Corporation) obtained a type certificate for medium utility Mi-171A2 helicopter in a convertible configuration from the Federal Air Transport Agency of the Russian Federation (Rosaviatsia).
This document opens the door for helicopter deliveries to commercial customers. Today the helicopter will be demonstrated to Dmitry Rogozin, Vice Prime Minister, during his scheduled visit at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant.
The type certificate certifies that the Mi-171A2 developed at Moscow Mil Helicopter Plant may safely transport passengers and cargoes day and night in standard and adverse weather conditions, including over water areas both as per VFR and IFR. Moreover, the document proves that the helicopter may be operated along international air routes. The certification opens the way to serial production and deliveries of Mi-171A2 helicopters to Russian and foreign customers.
The Mi-171A2 has been certified as per category A, which stipulates meeting the most stringent safety requirements imposed on civil helicopters. In particular, one of the requirements is the possibility to continue OEI flight with the maximum take-off weight.
"Obtaining a type certificate is one of the most important events of the project and means the opportunity to deliver this helicopter to commercial operators. The Mi-171A2 offers ample opportunities to renew helicopter fleet of Russian and foreign operators, who have experience in operating Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopters," - Andrey Boginsky, Director General of Russian Helicopters Holding Company, emphasized.
Flight tests of Mi-171A2 helicopter, where four prototypes were engaged, began in 2014. Another two prototypes participated in static tests. Since the beginning of 2017 Mi-171A2 helicopter performed more than 200 flights.
Performed activities resulted in completion of tests in six programs with drawing up certificates of additional certification tests. In addition, during MAKS-2017 the helicopter performed eight demonstration flights simultaneously with the test program.
The Mi-171A2 is the result of a radical modernization of worldwide known Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopters. When developing the Mi-171A2, the goal was to reduce helicopter operation costs, improve its performance and bring them in line with tight modern airworthiness standards applied to civil aircraft. More than 80 changes were introduced to the Mi-171A2 design as compared to the baseline model. The helicopter is powered by VK-2500PS-03 engines (civil version of the engines installed on Mi-28 combat helicopters) with FADEC system. The transmission was reinforced due to the engine power increase. Digital navigation system with data display indication allowed reducing the crew to two people. Introduction of HUMS into avionics improved helicopter safety and made it possible to reduce its maintenance time.
A new rotor system is the one of the most important distinctive features of the Mi-171A2 as compared to Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopters. The helicopter is equipped with a more efficient X-shape tail rotor and a new main rotor with all-composite blades of improved aerodynamic design. Therefore, aerodynamics alone contributed to the increase of the Mi-171A2 main rotor thrust more than by 700 kg, which improved the whole range of flight and technical performance. Mi-171A2 helicopter entered serial production at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant.


text:
Why use ECHC?
Planning a pathway
Floating support
CQC – Latest inspection report
Home > News > Uncategorized > We've been recognised at the national level in The Parliamentary Review
We've been recognised at the national level in The Parliamentary Review
We are delighted to have been selected as one of as one of a small number of best practice representatives in the Care sector in this year's Parliamentary Review.
The Review is a publication that shares innovative strategies and showcases sector-specific commentary from organisations, companies, ministers and executives all over the country.
It has been a privilege to be involved and to have an article which highlights the progress we have made and the day-to-day challenges we face.
Despite a change in government funding in 2000, we have seen growth from a turnover of £20,000 in year one to £3 million today. We provide accommodation for over 100 people and have opened a new home each year since 2001.
The article highlighted aspects such as our forward-thinking attitude and strong ethos. A key part of this is the belief that we should provide houses which we and our families would be prepared to live in.
Another example of best practice highlighted was the Weston Community Centre, which focuses on teaching individuals with new skills and building their confidence. This is done through a wide range of practical courses such as baking, food hygiene, interview techniques as well as maths and English.
Jim Bisset, Chair of the ECHC Board congratulated us on the national recognition. He said, "I am delighted that the Review has emphasised the major contribution ECHC makes to the care of vulnerable adults within our society."
Our article can be viewed in full here: https://www.theparliamentaryreview.co.uk/organisations/east-cheshire-housing-consortium
The picture shows Brenda Wright and Andrew Neil, former Editor of the Sunday Times and the BBC's This Week, at the Launch.
It's a nice place to live and I enjoy keeping my flat and myself clean and tidy
A service user
Our Services and Pathways
Our CEO takes part in The Leaders Council podcast alongside Lord Blunkett.
We Are Recruiting
Photographs and text © 2016.
Unauthorised reproduction of material is not permitted. ECHC


Please click on the link below to set up your Rackspace Email on a desktop client (such as Microsoft® Outlook® or Mac® Mail) and on your mobile device (such as Iphones and Androids). You can either use the Email Help Tool to guide you through the set up process or use the instructions provided to enter your settings manually.
We recommend using IMAP settings.


text:
Kitty Crimes
Jul 25, 2013 Daytrotter Studio, Rock Island, IL
Lemme Go On 03:02
Egyptian Lover (Michael Jackson) oOoOO rework 03:00
B.O.B. vs. Gucci Gucci vs. Kitty Crimes 03:21
Vogue Out 03:00
It's been Kanye West's new record, "Yeezus," in the car all this week, driving to and from the studio, off to the grocery store, to get sandwiches -- wherever needs to be gotten to and with the unseasonably cooler July temperatures, the windows have been rolled down. Now, 'Ye gets raunchy super fast on this album and you find yourself keeping your eyes locked forward, thinking nothing of it as West saying, "I'd rather be a dick than a swallower," flows loudly out of your car and into the patiently waiting intersection. They're just words and they're just songs, but when you're idling, it gets a touch uncomfortable. When you get going again, it's fantastic entertainment -- to hear a grown man talk (no, EXPOUND on) pussy and come in such a complex and fascinated manner. He raps about such matters like a king would -- with so many conquests that he MUST talk about them. The details give it away that he knows exactly what he's talking about. What makes it all so great, however, is that when you're flooded by these unending visuals, it almost comes across as if it could be someone telling whopper after whopper. There's no WAY he has or considers such demonstrative sex as often as he makes out. They are the words of a dreamer.
Denver's Kitty Crimes is the poor man's female equivalent -- not to West -- but to the thoughts and the consciousness of "Yeezus." She's filthy and spectacular -- teaching us things we never knew about what all can be accomplished when two, three, four people get naked in the same room. She helps us to define what a "tongue cock" is. (We're assuming it's two words, but she might correct us.) Maria Kohler, as she's known behind the moniker, rhymes fluidly as she talks about fluids, just as West does and she unabashed. She raps, "If you've got a girlfriend, double-team me," and she makes it feel like something that could be offered in a normal circumstance. Nope, actually, it still sounds dirty and that's what makes it sound so great.
More from Kitty Crimes
Kitty Crimes - Vogue Out By Daytrotter July 25, 2013
Kitty Crimes - B.O.B. vs. Gucci Gucci vs. Kitty Crimes By Daytrotter July 25, 2013
Kitty Crimes - Egyptian Lover (Michael Jackson) oOoOO rework By Daytrotter July 25, 2013
Kitty Crimes - Lemme Go On By Daytrotter July 25, 2013


thermoforming machine and 12 key wooden moulds began in an old disused poultry shed in Cambridge, New Zealand.
delivery went to a customer in Nelson, New Zealand.
In the late 1990s PRO-FORM expanded its core products to include canopy shells as well as bedliners. PRO-FORM began developing relationships with international distributors and OEM customers. Exhibiting at many international automotive shows like SEMA (Las Vegas) and Automechanika (Germany) our profile began to grow.
From humble beginnings to a hugely successful, world-renowned company. PRO-FORM is a true New Zealand export success story.
Over the past 20 years PRO-FORM has continually evolved – with more sophisticated manufacturing capabilities, the introduction of robotics, extrusion, new mould-making techniques and thermoforming technology. Our production capacity has grown hugely, as has our ability to supply to OEM customers. Likewise, the products we offer have grown in complexity, range and innovation with the introduction of canopies, sportlid, cargoliners and sheet to the traditional bedliner product.
The most important part of our history and the driving force behind what makes PRO-FORM successful is the people. A team committed to continued learning, trying new ways and who earn their world-class status of excelling in the global plastics market.


BOULDER, CO--(Marketwire - April 29, 2008) - Absolute Performance Inc., a leading provider of On Demand application performance management software and services, announced the availability of System Shepherd Version 5.0, Absolute's flagship SaaS delivered software. System Shepherd 5.0 brings many new innovations to application performance management, including the ability to instrument and manage application software operating in VMware, Xen, Hyper-V and Parallels virtualized environments. System Shepherd 5.0's innovative multi-user, multi-tenant web-based dashboard provides valuable performance, management and SLA operating data required to meet the unique demands of software-as-a-service and hosted application services.
The 5.0 release of System Shepherd adds the ability to look deep into the virtualization software hypervisor, providing unique insight into the performance of multiple applications, web servers, databases and operating systems running across a single or multiple virtual machines. System Shepherd quantifies the resource utilization of all the software operating within the virtualized environment, easing performance tuning and resource management of virtualized applications and software. System Shepherd supports VMware ESX hypervisor and will expand support to Parallels, Xen and Hyper-V in the coming months.
"System Shepherd 5.0 is one of the first SaaS-based application management solutions with support for virtual servers," says Julie Craig, SaaS industry thought leader and Senior Analyst at Enterprise Management Associates. "This innovative offering from Absolute Performance adds depth to System Shepherd's performance management capabilities, and positions Absolute Performance very well for anyone delivering highly available On Demand solutions."
"Meeting delivery commitments to SaaS customers is absolutely crucial in the On Demand market," according to Mitchell Ashley, Absolute Performance CTO and Chief Strategist. "Bringing virtualization management, deep application performance management, customer experience measurement, and SLA management, in one integrated view ensures our customers have all the tools needed to deliver on the promise of SaaS, 24x7x365."
System Shepherd 5.0 is the foundation of Absolute's robust suite of On Demand software solutions for managing software performance in software-as-a-service delivered applications, content and enterprise solutions. Version 5.0 brings a fully customizable dashboard based on the flexible, iGoogle-style web-based user interface. Dashboard components, called "gadgets," can be added and customized to instrument virtually any performance or system metric throughout the operating system, hypervisor, network and application software stack. Business metrics can also be integrated into the dashboard providing a rich, in-depth view into any On Demand service or business.
Delivered as On Demand software means there's no complex on-site software to be installed or managed. Everything is configured through System Shepherd's web interface, cutting installation time down to less than a day, even hours, as compared to the weeks, months and sometimes years to install on-premise enterprise management systems.
Absolute Performance Inc. is the industry leader in On Demand performance management solutions to SaaS software companies, content providers and infrastructure partners who must provide high business availability, deliver a proven customer experience, and operate their On Demand company with up-to-the minute business intelligence. Absolute's patented and industry leading System Shepherd® performance management software, WebWalk™ end-user experience monitoring and validation and StressWalk™ pre-production load testing deliver the deepest instrumentation into SaaS web-based software applications, application infrastructure software, databases, server and virtualization infrastructure. Absolute's rebrandable On Demand portal brings a consolidated view of performance metrics, customer transaction performance, and business operational data. Absolute Performance On Demand solutions are available through a direct sales force and channel partners.
For more information in contact Absolute Performance at 303-443-7000 Opt 2 or visit http://www.absolute-performance.com.


What is Plantar Fasciitis Your foot is a complicated mechanism. The bottom of your foot is known as the plantar side. The plantar fascia is a long band of thick connective tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. It connects your heel bone to your toe bones creating the arch in your foot.Proven Results. Our customers love their shoes. In fact an astounding 9 out of 10 customers recommend KURU to their friends. One simple example is Robert who wrote they are by far the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn and have all but cured an acute case of plantar fasciitis.Read our guide to the best shoes for plantar fasciitis below to find footwear for any occasion that will alleviate heel pain prevent re-occurrence and minimise stress on the damaged heel.


With our robust SDK, super clean dashboard, detailed documentation, and world-class support, HelloSign API is one of the most flexible and powerful APIs on the market. Start building for free today.
The post The industry's best open API appeared first on CSS-Tricks.


Chrysler 300 Pros and Cons | Page 1 of 2 | Why Not This Car?
What drives people to buy (or not buy) a certain car? TrueDelta's members share Chrysler 300 pros and cons based on their real-world driving experiences.
AWD in a 300 is the first option to check. Peroid.
My opinion on a possible lemon.
2012 Chrysler SRT8: RIDICULOUS. COSTLY. AWESOME!
Nothing looks like a 300. Very distinctive styling that evokes a love or hate reaction. I happen to love it.
The 3.6 Pentastar engine in this car is probably the most surprising performance engine I have driven considering the weight and size of the 300. Looking for a 300 and unsure what engine to get? The 3.6 choice will not be regretted.
Looks good up close and from a distance, at all angles. Nice paint job.
Bold, agressive styling that says" American Made" with a few subtle "euro touches" as well. My color choice...Cool Vanilla...is, in my opinion, tops the collective color pallette of any/all availeble vehicles - foreign or domestic.
The 340 H.P. Hemi is a dream engine. Lots of power on hand when needed and very civilized when just cruising. The transmission is very smooth and very responsive. I love listening to this engine!!
Mine has the upgraded Boston Acoustic 6 speaker system and it sounds great. When looking for a 300 I knew I wanted one with the 6 speaker system.
We still love the smoother sleeker style of the older 300Ms vs the newer boxier 300s. Note Chrylser is redesigning the new model 2010 300 exteriors (and 200s) to be sleeker & aero styled more like these old 300ms!
Unique. Stands out from other cars that all look similar.