I can get a little obsessed with things. For example, brown butter, red velvet, meyer lemons and brown butter. Seriously, you can ask my friends, I know I drive them nuts with the things I'm obsessed with.
One thing I have never been obsessed with is onions. I have always cooked them and pick them out of everything I eat, for years. I love the flavor they give to dishes and foods but would always always pick them out. I used to even say I don't like onions except for onion rings. It's funny, my younger sister was the same as me and we had friend in high school who would bite into a raw onion because 1. she loved them and 2. she wanted to hear us say eewwww! I was completely shocked to hear my sister say she was obsessed with onions last year.
And then I tried these patty melts, oh my gawd. You have to try them. You're missing out if you don't try them. And I didn't pick the onions out. That's when I knew I had started my love affair with onions…hence my discussion about obsessions earlier. So this brings me to these cheddar bacon onion sliders. This recipe kind of happened by accident. We love to make burgers and even better sliders at home.
I don't eat pork bacon but Curtis does…I opt for turkey bacon (longggg story). Can we talk about turkey bacon for a second? It gets a bad rap…it's seriously goooddddd. I mean it. Okay back to these sliders, when we made sliders, I would put cheese on them and lettuce and tomato and call it done. One night Curtis asked me to slice up some onions and he said, why don't you cook the onions in with the patties? Okay, fine I will! What happened was pure genius. I seriously don't give Curtis enough credit. I think he deserves his own section here on the blog. I wish I could get him to write, actually.
(Sorry I'm kind of showing things out of order here.) The flavor of the onions meld into the patties as they cook and – the combination of the cheese and bacon and the cooked onions – out of this world. My new favorite sliders. Done.
I diced half of one onion for Curtis – because he wanted to have raw and cooked onions on his sliders. I usually make my sliders with lettuce and tomato too but they aren't in the photograph – I'm so lame, I didn't want them to hide the onions. The beautiful onions.
Divide one pound of ground beef, I use ground chuck for burgers and tacos always, into 8 pieces.
Round them out and then flatten them on a plate. Don't overwork the ground beef. I keep them separated with parchment paper on a plate.
Here's the best part, after you cook the patties and the onions, put the buns into the skillet – the buns toast a little and you get the great flavor that's left in the skillet on the slider rolls.
Instead of saying you'll thank me after you make these, I'm just going to say you're welcome. Hehe. Make these and these other great snacks for your Super Bowl get together this weekend!
Last week we had these with oven fried french fries…I need to make those again and not share them (with anyone) and I guess share the recipe with you all too.
The key to making these great sliders is cooking the sliced onions in the skillet with the burger slider patties.
Heat a cast iron skillet on medium to medium high for 4 to 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to each side of the patties. Cook 4 patties at a time and add in half of the sliced onions. Cook slider patties for 2 to 4 minutes on each side. Flip and continue cooking on each side. Using tongs, flip onions as well.
After cooking the first batch of slider patties, add split slider buns split side down (4 of them) in the skillet for about 60 to 90 seconds. If you don't have enough room, do this in batches until 4 of the slider rolls are done.
Repeat, cook the patties and then heat the slider buns.
Arrange patties on buns, add cheese, bacon, cooked onions, uncooked onions (optional), tomato and lettuce and enjoy!
Is it weird that I'm most excited about the rolls?! I love your method of putting them in the pan. I'll have to try that next time!
I made these 2 weeks ago, fantastic! My hubby said he can eat this regularly!
Thanks for the great recipe Julie!
I love sliders and I love bacon (and so does my girlfriend). I think I'll be using this recipe sometime this week. Thank you!
Pingback: Southwest Pulled Pork Sliders from the Slow Cooker — Never Enough Thyme - Recipes with a slight southern accent.


Having a malfunctioning garage door at home can adversely affect your schedule. Besides that, it also compromises your safety and that of your family. To stop all that from happening, you need to seek assistance from a reliable garage door repair company within your area. For quality service at reasonable prices, it's good that you seek help from a group that's committed to meeting your needs. For the homeowners of Placentia, y ou have no reason to let garage door problems be the cause of your lack of peace. Our Garage Door Repair Placentia CA team of specialists is ready to offer you all you need to keep that largest moving object at home working.
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Our Nearby Locations: Garage Door Repair Yorba Linda | Garage Door Repair Brea.


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REUNION: Military mom surprises son on last day of Pre-K in Texas
Posted: May 24, 2018 / 02:24 PM EDT / Updated: May 25, 2018 / 06:48 AM EDT
TAYLOR, Texas (KXAN) — Four-year-old John Michael Savarese walked up on stage in front of his classmates at T.H. Johnson Elementary on the last day of school Thursday.
The principal gave him a basket of toys and goodies that he could use when his mom returned from deployment in South Korea.
"When do you think Mommy's gonna come back?" she asked.
"Oh wait a minute — who's that over there? Who's that?"
"My mom!" John yelled, sprinting across the stage and into the arms of Air Force Staff Sgt. Mariana Chapman, who hugged him and covered him in kisses. The students, staff, teachers and families all clapped and cheered.
"I saw my mom and I hug her very fast on the stage to run," John said afterward.
Chapman got her order to head to South Korea just before Christmas, and was able to coordinate a last-minute trip to surprise John for his last day of Pre-K. She also arrived just in time for his birthday next week.
She says she misses his hugs and spending time with her family and friends when she's away.
"It's all worth it in the end because without people being out there for us, we wouldn't be able to share moments like this," Chapman said.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Photo: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images
Elvis Costello Cancels European Tour Dates elvis-costello-reveals-cancer-diagnosis-cancels-european-tour-dates
Elvis Costello Reveals Cancer Diagnosis, Cancels European Tour Dates
The iconic singer/songwriter will forgo the final six dates of his summer tour to recover from surgery
Nate Hertweck
Jul 6, 2018 - 4:39 pm
GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter Elvis Costello has been forced to cancel the remaining six shows of his ongoing European tour after revealing he was recently diagnosed with cancer.
The 63-year-old underwent surgery in May to remove a "small but aggressive cancerous malignancy" before beginning his summer tour. His doctors have urged him to sit out the upcoming dates to recover.
"Six weeks ago my specialist called me and said, 'You should start playing the Lotto,'" Costello said in a statement. "He had rarely, if ever, seen such a small but very aggressive cancerous malignancy that could be defeated by a single surgery. I was elated and relieved that our European summer tour could go ahead."
Despite this initial optimism, Costello admitted he had to accept his recovery will take longer than he would have wished and apologized to ticketholders for the cancellations.
"Post-surgical guidelines for such surgery, recommend three weeks to four weeks recovery, depending on whether you are returning to a desk job or an occupation that involves physical work or travel," Costello continued. "It was impossible to judge how this advisory would line up with the demands on a traveling musician, playing 90-minute to two-hour-plus performances on a nightly basis, but by the time we reached the Edinburgh Playhouse, I was almost fooled into thinking that normal service had been resumed."
https://twitter.com/ElvisCostello/status/1015145826941743104
Elvis Costello has been forced to cancel the remaining 6 dates of his current European tour on medical grounds. His doctor has strongly advised him to take a break from his current tour itinerary and rest. Please click here for more information - https://t.co/tEqHUo5l5o
— Elvis Costello (@ElvisCostello) July 6, 2018
In the statement, Costello also reminded fans he and his band The Imposter have a "magnificent new record of which we are truly proud" on the way this October. Just last month, he announced the album and a fall North American tour to support it.
A full list of scheduled tour dates can be found on Costello's website, as fans of the songwriting icon from all over the world wish him a full and speedy recovery.
Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"
Photo: Tabatha Fireman/Redferns/Getty Images
Elvis Costello & The Imposters Plot Fall Tour elvis-costello-imposters-plot-fall-tour-will-they-play-your-favorite-song
Elvis Costello & The Imposters Plot Fall Tour, But Will They Play Your Favorite Song?
The Just Trust tour will follow the band's summer co-headlining trek with Blondie with two dozen more U.S. dates
Just Trust Elvis Costello & The Imposters. So goes the name of E.C.'s newly announced fall U.S. Tour, which will hit 24 cities in October and November.
Elvis Costello & The Imposters Announce Fall Tour!
Just Trust Elvis Costello & The Imposters. Starting 10/23 in Charlottesville, VA this 24-date tour ends 11/26 in Milwaukee, WI. Tickets On-Sale June 28th. For a complete list of dates & ticket info visit - https://t.co/PqUksKE29R pic.twitter.com/nW1TSoT099
— Elvis Costello (@ElvisCostello) June 24, 2019
Explanation of the tour's title may offer fans some insight on what to expect from the shows. A statement reveals, "The tour is entitled, 'Just Trust' in answer to the musical questions: 'Will they play my favourite song?,' or, 'Are they going to frighten the horses with a lot of excellent songs that are rarely performed?,' not to mention, 'Can I expect the hits of yesteryear and those of tomorrow?'
Related: Elvis Costello's 'My Aim Is True' at 40: 5 moments of truth
The Just Trust tour begins Oct. 23 in Charlottesville, Va., and wraps up Nov. 26 in Milwaukee, Wis, making stops along the way in Nashville, Tenn., Atlanta, New Orelans, Memphis, Chicago and Minneapolis, to name a few.
In addition to mainstay band members Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas and Davey Faragher, singers Kitten Kuroi and Briana Lee will join Costello on stage, the same personnel heard on the group's latest release, 2018's Look Now, which marked Costello's first studio album in five years.
The extended road run is double good news for fans, as this time last year Costello revealed he'd been diagnosed with cancer and was forced to cancel his remaining European tour dates to focus on recovery, which he has since confirmed is going well. Earlier this month, he was awarded the prestigious O.B.E. honor, the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for "services to music." Next month he and the Imposters head out on a co-headlining stint with Blondie for the cleverly coined Blondie & The Beastly E.C. tour
If you're ready to take the trust plunge, tickets for the Just Trust tour begin to go on sale June 28. Visit Costello's website for a full list of dates and ticket info.
Ringo Starr's Peace And Love Birthday Celebrations To Take Place At L.A.'s Capitol Records
Elvis Costello & Blondie Announce U.S. Tour elvis-costello-blondie-announce-us-summer-tour
Elvis Costello & Blondie Announce U.S. Summer Tour
The pair of edgy legends will play 13 shows together on their cross-country co-headlining trek
Apr 2, 2019 - 2:52 pm
GRAMMY-nominated pop/rock rebels Elvis Costello & The Imposters and Blondie are teaming up for a U.S. tour this summer... or as a clever press statement put it: "It's Blondie and the Beastly E.C.!!!"
Elvis Costello & The Imposters And Blondie Embark On Co-Headlining Summer Tour.
It's Blondie & The Beastly E.C.!!!
Pre-Sale Tickets Available Today. General On-Sale Saturday, April 6th
For a complete list of dates and for ticket information please visit - https://t.co/ihKfb0Uhz1 pic.twitter.com/WL8V6gvOyD
— Elvis Costello (@ElvisCostello) April 2, 2019
The 13-date run will begin in Bethel, N.Y. on July 20 and hit mostly east and west coast cities, plus Las Vegas, before wrapping up in Seattle on Aug 10.
It's been over 40 years since Blondie's "Heart Of Glass" found itself side-by-side with Costello's "Oliver's Army" on the UK Singles Chart. But both artists' most-recent albums prove they've not lost their fire; Costello's eclectic 2018 release, Look Now, and Blondie's blistering 2017 release, Pollinator.
Pre-sale tickets are available today, with tickets going on-sale to the public on Saturday, Apr. 6.
YES Announce The Royal Fair Tour With Asia And More
Photo: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
Imogen Heap Launches Innovative New Project & Tour inside-imogen-heaps-interactive-creative-passport-project-mycelia-world-tour
Inside Imogen Heap's Interactive 'Creative Passport' Project & Mycelia World Tour
The GRAMMY-winning artist and tech innovator brings together live concerts, interactive workshops and tech talks to nine cities across North America
Fans of multi-instrumentalist songwriter/producer and multi-media artist Imogen Heap have learned to expect the unexpected from their hero. Never one to disappoint creatively, Heap's latest endeavor is also one of her most ambitious.
The GRAMMY winner has announced a nine-city North American leg of her Mycelia World Tour, complete with the launch of a new project, 'Creative Passport,' which integrates concerts, workshops and discussions to push the typical limits of what a live tour can mean.
The continuation of her Mycelia World Tour follows successful stints across Europe during 2018 and will make stops in major U.S. cities between April and June 2019, including Miami, New York, Chicago, Toronto, Seattle and San Francisco. The tour is named after Heap's research and development hub aimed at cultivating a fairer payment system for artists by establishing a music maker database.
Billed in a statement from Heap as "promoting a fair and flourishing future for the Music Industry," her 'Creative Passport' project is geared toward, "realising a vision of the future which sees music makers connected through a verified and decentralised ecosystem, promoting artist-led, fair and sustainable operating practices."
The slate of events for each tour stop includes some or all of several elements, including solo concerts from Heap as well as reunited duo appearances with Guy Sigsworth as electronic duo Frou Frou for the first time since 2003.
'Creative Passport' also offers workshops with local music makers, technologists and industry influencers, workshops for families where children will get to build and code their own MIni.MU gloves (Heap's proprietary electronic instrument of the future) and talks given by Heap on "technologies which are positively shaping the future of the music ecosystem, building better business and audience relations with music makers."
https://twitter.com/imogenheap/status/1072130478608658433
New tour dates! #myceliaworldtour #imogenheap #thecreativepassport pic.twitter.com/sVRenQcRCt
— Imogen Heap (@imogenheap) December 10, 2018
"For years now we've been complaining about the state of the music industry and how it has been held back by old ways of thinking, negatively impacting music makers–a major pain point being that we are the first to put in any of the work, and the last to see any financial reward or even payment," explains Heap. "Through Mycelia and its 'Creative Passport,' as music makers we now have no excuse but to put our best foot forward and become open for business, decentralising the ecosystem so that it will ultimately benefit everyone. I am excited to be going on the road to bring this to life, in addition to showcasing other new technologies which will add to transforming the music industry into a fair, flourishing and vibrant place".
Heap released her debut album, iMegaphone, back in 1998 and has spent the past two decades surprising her fans with her classically trained yet wildly innovative interpolations of pop music. While her work has always pushed the boundaries between music and visual media, her sounds reached her widest audience yet as a producer on Taylor Swift's GRAMMY-winning album 1989, which earned Heap her second career GRAMMY Award.
Tickets for Heap's North American dates of her Mycelia World Tour go on-sale to the general public on Friday, Dec. 14 at 10:00 a.m. For full details, visit her website.
Imogen Heap's Life Of A Song Project Shows Who Gets Paid
Jed Hilly
Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images
Inside The New Americana Tour Blueprint americana-tour-blueprint-provides-musicians-valuable-booking-routing-resource
Americana Tour Blueprint Provides Musicians Valuable Booking & Routing Resource
The new online tool from the Americana Music Association gives artist members info for roots music-friendly opportunities in over 100 markets
Nov 1, 2018 - 2:10 pm
Touring is tough. For all the joy and rewards of playing your music in a new town each night, there are so many risks and challenges, starting with booking. Now, thanks to the Americana Music Association, a new tool called Americana Tour Blueprint makes routing a tour easier by connecting artists with venues in cities with a roots music-friendly support network of radio stations, retailers, and local press.
Watch: Jason Isbell Wins Best Americana Album
The brand new online tool, which was conceived two years ago, allows members of the organization not only to map out a tour route based on information about over 100 markets on the circuit, but to request a booking at the 20 or so venues that have agreed to receive pitches from Americana Music Association artists.
The locations covered by the blueprint stretches through the area roughly surrounding the Interstate 95 corridor, including northeaster cities like Boston and New York all the way down to Miami. There's also a path through Interstate 65 that leads through markets like Atlanta, Asheville, N.C. and more. The organization hopes this project will go a long way toward fostering the artists of today and tomorrow in the genre it champions.
"As an artist advocacy group, our mission is to support the authentic voice of American roots music," says Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly. "But as a trade association, we are mindful of working with the industry to not only support legends but also to work for the next generation of rising stars."
https://twitter.com/caitlincanty/status/1057338139495358465
I'm proud to share I'll be headlining the "Americana Tour Blueprint" presented by @AmericanaFest. I'll be touring down the eastern seaboard this January playing 13 shows and visiting radio stations along the way. https://t.co/wWucvtmuEo pic.twitter.com/s4OaUz8LnD
— Caitlin Canty (@caitlincanty) October 30, 2018
To commemorate the launch of the new tool, the organization is walking the walk, presenting the inaugural 2019 tour featuring Caitlin Canty and Oshima Brothers, the first artists to use the new resource to book their tour, which kicks off Jan. 4 at New York City's Rockwood Music Hall.
Americana is inherently a live performance-oriented music genre, known for the use of acoustic instruments, vocal harmonies and road-themed lyrical content. For a style so steeped in tradition, this innovative new tool promises to support roots musicians and free up more of their time to do what they should be doing, making music. See you on tour!
Willie Nelson To Be Honored With 2019 Producers & Engineers Wing Award


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Is a vegetarian renal diet possible? Yes! Possible and recommended! Our handout has examples of low sodium vegetarian meal ideas for people following a renal/kidney diet. For people with renal disease, incorporating vegetarian meals into your diet is not only doable, but also healthy! Vegetarian meals help slow progression of kidney disease, improves nutrient intake, and increases fiber. (See Grocery List for further food ideas). For people on dialysis, more recent studies have shown that you can get plenty of protein without meat and even sometimes have equal or better phos control (even with some extra beans!) Our handout was recently updated with all nutrition information for recipes. Please note, we aim for <700mg potassium, <600 mg sodium, and <250mg phos for a large meal item, taking into consideration other possible meal accompaniments.
do you have the potassium and phosphorus content of the vegetarian recipes?
We uploaded the updated handout. You should see nutrient content listed on each item. We're still cleaning up a little bit since the site change! Thanks for visiting KidneyGrub! Please send any thoughts or suggestions our way!
I booked marked this page to return to and see if I received a response. I completely forgot about the question but came back to just explore the page again. Not sure why I didn't get an response email notification as I did click on the option. Anyways….I am Renal RD here in Canada. The vegetarian menu looks great. Any nutrient specs for the menu too?
We did the menu to show ideas on different vegetarian-kidney friendly breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas. I didn't run a full nutrient analysis on a day but that this something in the works!
Hi, my elderly father has to follow a "renal" diet, and he and my mother have recently moved to my town. Your recipes are a godsend to me! I want to be able to cook for my parents to ensure adequate nutrition, but I am an ethical vegan, and these recipes give me some great ideas for meals.
I noticed that you include eggs, which I would like to avoid. Is there a plant substitute that I could use? Tofu?
My mother tells me that my dad can't have pulses. Is there a way to include plant based protein sources while following a renal diet?
Again, thank you so much for the meal suggestions. Very, very helpful, and much appreciated!
We've got lots to attend to with my parents' move, but once that's sorted, I will be interested in getting some direction on what food I can feed my Dad. Mom & Dad are in their 80s, and becoming frail and uninterested in preparing meals. My sister says that they are filling up on junk food.
My mother did tell me that they have to limit potassium, so that's definitely a consideration.
I really love the meal suggestions that you've provided, and your email and response here is so helpful.


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Dr. Soren Caffey Honored With 2016 Patients' Choice Award
A select few of physicians were honored with the prestigious 2016 Patients' Choice Award, and this year includes Dr. Soren Caffey.
ALEXANDRIA, VA, October 07, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ — Only doctors who received top ratings and reviews by their patients are awarded Vitals Patients' Choice Award. With over 8 million ratings and reviews, Vitals has the largest collection of crowd-sourced data on doctors online.
While other quality metrics are important to consider, patient ratings and reviews help identify doctors committed to providing skilled and compassionate care. Those are qualities that can't be overlooked: a strong doctor-patient relationship leads to better compliance with care regimes which impacts patient health.
"Overall, we know people are looking for doctors that listen to them and give them a say in decisions about their own health," said Mitch Rothschild, Founder and Executive Chairman of Vitals. "Thanks to the millions of people in the Vitals community, it's easier to recognize the doctors who are doing good by doing well by their patients."
Vitals Patients' Choice winners are chosen based on the number and overall rating a doctor receives from patients for the calendar year. The algorithm also takes into account other quality metrics that the provider must meet. All told, only 7 percent of doctors were eligible for a Vitals Patients' Choice award this award season.
About Vitals
Vitals empowers everyone to shop for their health care like an expert. We bring together cost and quality transparency along with innovative consumer engagement programs to help people select high-quality, lower-cost care. Vitals leads the market with incentive and engagement programs that pay people to shop. Our solutions achieve measurable and sustainable savings for consumers, employers and health plans. Vitals helps more than 120 million people each year access better, more affordable care.
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In Spain, there are particular products that have a specific legislation to regulate its advertisements. These products are usually in highly demand and therefore it is even more necessary for there to be regulations that control the advertisement of these goods or services.
One of these goods is alcohol. Article 5 of Law 12/2012 of 26 December 2012, states that it is lawful to advertise alcoholic beverages with a gradation of lower than 20 degrees in locations where it is prohibited to buy or drink them. Royal Decree 110/1978 of 12 May 1978, also contains guidelines concerning the advertisement of alcoholic beverages. Tobacco is also part of the special legislation products. A relatively recent law, Law 28/2005 of 26 December 2005, regulates the advertising of tobacco. Article 9 begins by stating that all kinds of tobacco advertisement in media and other formats are forbidden and later expands on the exceptions to this rule. However, there are situations in which tobacco advertisements are banned completely, such as in areas outside the network of retail establishments. The publicizing of tobacco, where the presenters, associates or guests appear to be smoking or mention the brand name, is also banned in all media.
Another product in Spain with special legislation for advertisements is cosmetics. Article 16 of Royal Decree 1599/1997 of 17 October 1997, contains numerous requirements for the publicity of cosmetic products. In summary: a clear reference as to whether any animal testing was carried out with the ingredients or the finished product; there must not be any misperception between of the cosmetic product with any pharmaceutical products; the packaging must avoid confusion with food or other consumer products to avoid health risks and; the health risks when using the cosmetic product must be wholly honest and noticeably stated on the product.
Pharmaceuticals, without a doubt, are also a type of product that needs special legislation. There is an abundant amount of regulations, codes of practice, and forms of legislation that govern the advertising of pharmaceuticals. Royal Decree 1416/1994 implemented numerous provisions of European Union Directives regarding the publicizing of pharmaceuticals. Law 29/2006 in Spain contains some provisions regarding sanctions for breach of any rules. Supplementing these laws, the Spanish Pharmaceutical Industry Association, `Farmaindustria', published a Code of Conduct for the pharmaceutical industry in 2002. Before placing an advertisement for a pharmaceutical product, the company that created the advertisement must send a copy to the Health Authority of the Autonomous region in which the company is situated. The company must also ensure that only the public entitled to dispense or prescribe the pharmaceuticals will have access to the relevant advertisement. However, since July 2013, advertisements of over-the-counter medicines to the public no longer require any sort of authorization.
Regarding food products, Royal Decree 1334/1999 of 31 July 1999, has regulations concerning the advertisement of food products. It sets out the prohibitions as well as the general principles regarding the advertisements of food products.
Lastly, Law 26/2006 of 17 July 2006, regulates advertisements about insurance and insurance practices. There are several requirements and prohibitions set out in this piece of legislation.
Before releasing a special good such as: alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceutical, cosmetic or food, companies should be aware of the regulations applicable in each country.


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Handling Herbicide Drift in Pecan Orchards
Back to April 2019
by Lenny Wells
Southeastern Shakings
Glyphosate injury versus zinc deficiency of pecan. Note the thin, "strappy" leaves of glyphosate exposed leaves on the left and in the center versus the wavy or curly leaf edges of zinc deficient foliage on right. (Photo by Lenny Wells)
Southeastern pecan orchards are often found growing adjacent to fields of annual row-crops. As a result, the tree canopies of these orchards are often vulnerable to injury from herbicide drift from the adjacent row crop fields. This normally occurs from April through June as weeds are eliminated from fields in preparation for planting or soon after planting. In addition, the roots of mature pecan trees can extend to a length twice the width of the tree canopy. Thus, pecan tree roots often extend into an adjacent row crop field and can compete with the row crop for available soil, water, and nutrients. Under such conditions, trees may also absorb residual herbicides from the soil in these fields.
Pecan growers should be aware of crops planted in adjacent fields and the herbicide practices used for that crop. Since adjacent land may be owned by other farmers, cordial conversations with neighbors are an important first step in the prevention of accidental herbicide injury. Producers of agronomic crops often are not aware of the potential injury and value of pecan trees and the pecan crop.
Paraquat drift injury to pecan foliage. Damaged areas turn yellow or chlorotic initially, and then as the affected tissue dies, damaged areas turn brown. Glufosinate injury may appear similar. (Photo by Lenny Wells)
Herbicide drift is usually quite proximate to the herbicide application site and can be significantly reduced or prevented using proper application techniques. Injury symptoms resulting from these droplets may be obvious and consistent on a selection of trees in the portion of the orchard near the application area and will often decrease in severity the further one moves from the sight of origin.
Plant damage from volatilization of herbicides is much less common and harder to diagnose. It is also difficult to prove or consider pesticide misuse. Damage has been known to occur miles from the application site, depending on the herbicide involved and sensitivity of plants damaged.
If growers suspect accidental herbicide damage to one or more of their orchards, an orderly series of steps should be taken. Documentation of the damage is of the utmost importance. Some valuable information to note will be the date the injury or application was noticed and the number of trees or acreage damaged. A summary of the symptoms of damaged plants should be written down. If the injury is severe and the grower is considering seeking compensation for the damage, one should follow this step by collecting a combination of photos and plant samples as quickly as possible. Growers may take their own tissue samples for detection of herbicide residue to a state or private laboratory. However, bear in mind that these analyses may cost over $100 per sample depending on the herbicide in question. Samples for certain herbicides or chemicals must be taken within two to three weeks of exposure to be easily detected. Also, these samples are rarely used in any drift case. They usually offer little more than peace of mind to the affected producer. Usually, the state Department of Agriculture must take plant samples for residue testing if a formal complaint is filed.
After ruling out one's own negligence (e.g., use of a herbicide-contaminated sprayer to apply other pesticides or herbicide drift from within the orchard) attention should be turned to "off-farm" sources. If the damage is most severe in trees adjacent to a recently sprayed field and wind conditions were favorable for drift, there is often fairly strong evidence that the neighbor's action caused the injury. Patterns in planting can help determine the source of contamination. A change in the intensity of symptoms in the orchard may indicate the direction from which the herbicide originated.
Older paraquat injury of pecan.
Many herbicide drift incidents do not result in economic loss; however, economic loss can occur if the injury is severe enough. Often the severity of damage cannot be determined initially and only time will tell the extent to which the trees or crop may or may not recover. Injury after July 1 will be more damaging to the following year's pecan crop than injury occurring earlier in the growing season as a result of the tree's physiological processes required for the following year's fruiting.
Depending upon the environmental conditions at the time of application, the herbicide used, rate, timing, and coverage, the trees may vary in their response to herbicide drift. The most common herbicides involved in drift injury to pecan are glyphosate, glufosinate, paraquat, and flumioxazen. With the recent release of 2,4-D and dicamba-resistant crops, injury from these herbicides may become more common. Regardless of the herbicide in question, it may take time to determine the extent of damage. It may be necessary to harvest damaged trees separate from non-damaged trees in order to document any economic loss. Insurance companies often use a comparison of crop yields in the year of damage with the previous 3-year average, which emphasizes the importance of keeping good farm records. A description of the herbicides mentioned above and typical symptoms of their injury to pecan is provided below:
Glyphosate: Glyphosate commonly causes damage to pecan trees when the chemicals contact the foliage and in the case of young trees (at most 3 years old) the green bark as well. In most cases in which isolated incidents occur, trees suffer some damage, leaf deformation, and defoliation; however, they usually re-foliate with only minor long-term effects and subsequent growth usually returns to normal. Glyphosate is a systemic herbicide and thus can potentially affect the trees for more than one year and yield may be reduced. The severity of damage is usually dependent on the rate of herbicide applied and the extent of coverage. In very severe cases, glyphosate can kill limbs; however, this is rare and would be evident within the first year or two following application. Repeated applications would have more significant, long-term effects, which could eventually result in the tree's death. Primary symptoms of glyphosate injury are thin, strap-like leaves and often some chlorosis or yellowing. Heavy concentrations can cause die-back.
Paraquat: Paraquat is a contact herbicide that only burns the tissue it touches. The extent of damage will be dependent upon the concentration of herbicide in the spray mix and the coverage on the pecan tree. Usually, within 24 to 48 hours after contact, affected leaves will develop yellow areas where contact was made. If only a few yellow spots are observed on leaves, the damage is most likely not significant; however, if a large percentage of the leaf or leaves turn yellow, damage may be severe. The yellowed areas of the leaf turn brown and necrotic with age. Where a large percentage of the leaf surface is contacted, the foliage will die and drop from the tree. The same is true for pecan flowers, nuts, or any other green tissue which is contacted by the herbicide. In most cases, when paraquat is applied to a mature tree, the tree will re-foliate and it will not suffer long-term injury. Paraquat applied to the thin bark of young trees (around 3 years old or younger) can girdle the tree, resulting in tree death.
Early symptoms of auxin herbicide injury to pecan exhibiting folding and curling of leaflets.
Glufosinate: Glufosinate is a contact herbicide and injury is very similar in appearance to that of paraquat; however, symptoms take a little longer to appear after application than they do for paraquat. Yellowed areas appear a few days after application and turn necrotic with age. Again, as for paraquat, the severity of injury will depend on herbicide concentration and coverage. Trees generally recover without long-term damage.
Flumioxazen: Flumioxazen is used primarily as a pre-emergence herbicide; however, it does have some post-emergence activity. It is often tank mixed with one or more of the herbicide chemistries listed previously. Injury symptoms are similar to that of glufosinate and paraquat. Trees generally recover quickly.
Auxin injury symptoms of pecan. Note the twisting, cupping, and curling of leaflets.
2,4-D: 2,4-D is a systemic herbicide used to kill broadleaf weeds. A member of the phenoxy family of herbicides, 2,4-D was one of the first successful selective herbicides developed and has been used for more than 70 years. Injury symptoms first appear as a folding or curling of foliage. Wrinkling, cupping, curling or twisting of foliage along with some chlorosis or yellowing of the foliage continues within a few days of contact. Affected tissue will turn necrotic and die back, often leaving a curled leaf stem if the concentration or coverage is great enough. We have observed experimentally serious injury—including death of foliage and limbs—at leaf tissue concentrations of 25 parts per million. 2,4-D can also arrest nut development at the stage at which contact with the herbicide occurred. Limbs or tissue receiving full coverage of a concentrated solution or full rate of 2,4-D will most likely die. We generally do not see evidence of translocation within pecan trees. Therefore, if only a small portion of the tree is affected or if the tree receives a low concentration of the material, it is not likely that the tree will be damaged long term. However, the larger the percentage of coverage on the tree and the higher the concentration of the material, the more severe the damage will be. Full exposure of auxin herbicides to an entire tree or to a large percentage of a tree at full rates can kill the tree.
Dicamba: Dicamba is another selective herbicide in the phenoxy family of herbicides designed to kill broadleaf weeds. Symptoms are similar to that observed for 2,4-D.
Herbicide Uptake by Tree Roots
In addition to damage from herbicide drift, pecans are susceptible to herbicide injury from root uptake. This may occur from pre-emergence herbicides applied to herbicide strips in the orchard in some situations, or more commonly from pre-emergence herbicides applied to adjacent row crop fields.
Diuron is a pre-emergence herbicide labeled for use on pecan trees for control of annual broadleaf weeds and some annual grasses only under trees established in the orchard for at least 3 years. However, injury can occur with this herbicide, particularly on sandy soils. This injury occurs most often when there is a heavy rainfall event within a few days following application. Symptoms appear as development of necrosis between the veins of pecan leaflets. Trees normally recover from this with minimal damage. At heavy rates, some limb die-back may occur, especially with repeated applications.
When peanuts are grown adjacent to pecan orchards injury from the uptake of imazapic by pecan roots can occur if this herbicide is used in the peanut field. Imazapic is a common postemergence herbicide used in peanut fields early in the growing season to control various broadleaf weeds, grasses, and sedges. Similar materials are sometimes used by highway right-of-way crews, and trees adjacent to right of ways are also at risk for uptake.
Imazapic is rapidly absorbed by plant roots and shoots, transferred to other parts of the plant, and then accumulates in actively growing tissues. Due to its soil residual activity, imazapic has long rotation restrictions before subsequent crops can be planted in the field. This long residual activity may sometimes cause damage on pecan to appear again the year after application. The heavier the soil, the longer it will take for rainfall to wash the herbicide out of the soil profile.
The roots of mature pecan trees can extend to a length twice the width of the tree canopy, often reaching into adjacent fields even when tree trunks and row crop fields are separated by 60 feet or more. When uptake of imazapic by mature pecan trees occurs, there are usually no visible external symptoms of damage. However, as harvest approaches, the pecan shucks do not split and kernel development is inhibited, resulting in hollow nuts or "pops." As pecan fruit matures, ethylene is produced by the kernel to stimulate shuck split. Since the herbicide inhibits kernel development, there is no ethylene produced to open the shucks and they may remain closed on the tree through the harvest season.
When young pecan trees are transplanted into a field in which imazapic was used the previous year (and sometimes even 2 years prior on heavy soil) they can be injured to the point of death or at the very least stunted or have delayed growth. Young trees planted in imazapic treated areas often grow initially, then die back with this process repeating itself until the herbicide is flushed out of the field.
Imazapic injury to pecan nuts on the bottom of the image. Trees often absorb herbicide by root uptake from the soil of adjacent fields. Mature trees appear normal but kernels inside shuck fail to develop.
Herbicide Injury from Forestry and Pasture Applications
Forestry and pasture herbicides are sometimes used to eliminate broadleaf tree competition from pine plantation stands and cow pastures or hay fields. Commonly applied materials include Triclopyr, Imazapyr, hexazinone, Picloram, sulfometuron methyl, and metsulfuron methyl. Those materials with soil residual activity, such as imazapyr, may be of greatest concern if enough soil coverage is obtained. Since many of these materials are designed to kill broadleaf trees, shrubs, brush, and vines, they can be particularly damaging to pecan. As with any herbicide, the extent of damage to pecan will depend on coverage and concentration of the herbicide application. Damage from forestry and pasture herbicide overspray or drift is less common than that from row crop fields because larger nozzle sizes are more commonly used for forestry and pasture sprayers. However, there is often a greater risk of long-term damage from these materials than from row crop herbicides when drift does occur. In addition, planting pecan trees into pastureland or land where pine trees are cleared when there has been recent herbicide application (within 1 to 2 years) can lead to damage of newly planted pecan trees due to the long soil residual activity of many of these herbicides.
While no long-term injury may develop, each herbicide drift case is different and the level of injury is dependent upon the herbicide used, rate applied, wind speed and direction, timing, and the level of coverage obtained. Herbicide injury via root uptake can occur in some circumstances as well when there are other activities occurring adjacent to the pecan orchard. Any symptoms of injury should be documented as soon as possible after they are detected.
Lenny Wells
Lenny Wells is an Extension Pecan Specialist, University of Georgia, Tifton, Georgia. [email protected]


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text:
Histories: A Conversation with Iranian Artist Zeinab Shahidi Marnani
July 9, 2015, 6:00 pm - July 8, 2019, 10:45 am
The Middle East Institute
1761 N Street, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20036 (Map)
The Middle East Institute is pleased to host Iranian artist Zeinab Shahidi Marnani for a presentation and discussion of her current work. Ms. Shahidi Marnani is currently an artist-in-residence at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) in New York, working in collaboration with Art Jameel in partnership with Edge of Arabia.
Using mostly the mediums of text and video, her presentation will include the body of work entitled "Soliloquy," a video series which explores alternative methods of creating dialogue and understanding history. She will also discuss "Histories," a video documentary exploring the origins and nuances of her last name Shahidi, which means 'martyr,' tracing back to the Iranian constitutional revolution.
Furthermore, the artist will reveal her latest work in progress, "Silent Memory," which aims at collecting the accounts and experiences of Afghan refugees who once sought refuge in Iran and have since departed.
Please join us for a wine and cheese reception from 6:00-6:15pm. The conversation will follow from 6:15-7:15pm.
Zeinab Shahidi Marnani is an artist who was born in Iran and lives and works in Tehran and New York. She holds a MFA in sculpture from Yale School of Art and a BFA from Tehran University. Her work has been shown at the Thomas Erben Gallery in New York; ALLGOLD at the MoMA PS1 Print Shop in New York; Devi Art Foundation in India; design transfer gallery (UDK) in Berlin; and the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Arts in Iran, among others.
Lyne Sneige (moderator) has extensive experience in the arts and culture scene in Lebanon and the Middle East region. Currently based in Washington, DC, she is the director of cultural affairs at the Middle East Institute. Prior to that she was deputy director, Lebanon and regional projects manager for arts and culture for the Middle East, at the British Council.


You've just put your name in the Secret Santa hat. Whoever you draw, you'll search high and low for that perfect present.
We don't think so. Really, when it all comes down to it and the great day arrives, we know you'll have given and received one of these seven present types. There are only seven. Just make sure it's not Number 5.
It's a book or vinyl and it's 'very, very good'. This person wants to train you in their image. You are their vanity project. They have forgotten that Secret Santa is supposed to be secret. So, pick the person who is least likely to have given it to you and pester them for book recommendations all year until the true giver goes mad with the lack of attention.
Statistics say that someone will be tasked with getting the boss a present. You might see it as a great opportunity to show your tact and taste, or simply a terrifying ordeal. You find yourself down the chocolate aisle of your local supermarket, getting all angsty over Bendicks Mints.
It's from the shop next to your office. This person put no thought into presents and just remembered on their way up. And yet- and yet- it's probably the best present of the bunch.
Was it an in-joke no one can remember? When you open the obscene t-shirt in front of everyone, no one knows whether to laugh or cry. The beauty - when no one is supposed to know who gave what, awful presents are the perfect, most successful crime - oh, except Pete is crying with laughter on his own in the corner.
Someone thinks you have no personality, so they have made sure you smell of cinnamon. This way, they can distinguish you from a wall. Behold, the scented candle. You won't light it in the office. You'll give the pale wax a tentative sniff and then read the label with growing incredulity. Why, I don't know what deer footprints in a Scandinavian forest smell like. I suppose they could smell of this.
With £5 to spend, how exactly did she manage to get hold of Beyonce concert tickets for Nikki? Yes, in front of everyone else, the best office friends are flaunting their special friendship. Everyone knows they're best friends. They were never going to stick to the budget. But why flaunt it? Save it for when you go out to drinks later without everyone else.
There you have it, all seven are there. Now, get down to the charity shops!


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text:
Beasley sees positive future for the city of Luverne
Published 12:04 pm Thursday, December 1, 2016
By: Shayla Terry
Through the suggestion of a friend, Ed Beasley entered politics. Fast-forward 22 years, now he is the mayor of the city of Luverne.
Beasley was born and raised in Petrey. He is a graduate of Highland Home School. A barber by trade, he says he always knew he wanted to pursue the occupation.
"I've wanted to be a barber since I was a little boy," Beasley said. "My grandfather was blind. He mail ordered me a pair of clippers from Sears Roebuck in 1960. I then began cutting his hair."
In 1971, Beasley made the transition to the city of Luverne. Once there he started his business, Ed's Barbershop.
After observing that Crenshaw County needed a change, Beasley ran for county commission in 1994.
"I served four terms before deciding to retire," he says.
"I took a six year break and decided to go back into politics."
Beasley says that people approached him again about running for mayor, due to the fact that Dr. Pat Walker would not seek election.
"I talked to him personally, and he said he wasn't going to run," Beasley said.
"So I ran."
After a runoff in October, Beasley secured the mayoral seat. He says he sees a positive future for the city of Luverne, and a new direction.
"We want to start by upgrading our technology," he said.
"I would like to create a system where people can do online bill paying for utilities. That's one of our priorities."
Beasley also says he has plans to increase law enforcement, and to create more revenue for better pay.
"I'd like to see a bigger minority serving in different positions, especially in the police department," he says.
With Beasley at the forefront, the Luverne City Council has also introduced new faces to its line up.
"It's as fine a group of people that I have ever worked with," he said.
"I think that this is one of the best group of councilmen that we've ever had."
Beasley says he would like the citizens to see him lead by example.
"You have to prove to your constituents that you want to work, so that they will get fired up about the work."
Along with serving as mayor, Beasley still works at his barbershop part-time on Fridays. Ed's Barbershop has been open for over 40 years.


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"Joe is working remote today," mentions his manager. Today, "Joe" can actually be any one of your employees. With companies now operating in so many flexible ways, employees have the opportunity to work from anywhere. (Okay, most are not working from space . . . not yet anyway!) How do managers maintain productivity? How does IT manage the usage of Internet-connected devices and associated security risks? The company is still responsible for employees' Web use no matter where they are working from. With "Joe" being in California tomorrow and Canada next week, it is critical for the business to find the right Web-use filtering and management tool for roaming or remote workers, as well as cover the more static workforce. A cloud-based solution is the only way to go. When researching the best cloud-based Web activity filtering and management solution for your distributed workforce there are some important benefits to ask for.
Fast Deployment – The ability to set up and be filtering Web use in minutes.
Supports Unique Environments and Workforce – The solution should be highly elastic and adaptable.
Entire Distributed Workforce Coverage – Easily scales to all offices and users, regardless of location.
User-Centered Focus – Follows the user with perimeter-less coverage.
Cost and Time Effective – No hardware installation or maintenance.
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I previously discussed that employee Web use has much to do with human behavior in the workplace, and the management of it is not just an IT issue. All stakeholders and areas of the company can help manage employee Web use effectively. With IT investing time in researching and implementing the most suitable Web filtering and monitoring solution for the organization, collaborators in the company, such as senior managers, HR, and department managers, can get the right information in the right format. Ideally the solution would include a reporting engine or Smart Engine making it possible for collaborators to get a true picture of employee behavior. Here I'll discuss the features of a Smart Engine and its importance in deriving human behavior from Web-use data.
First of all, what is a Smart Engine? A Smart Engine is a powerful reporting engine that helps companies make informed, data-driven decisions and take action on issues concerning the proper use of their network resources. It provides direct, easy, and fast access to data, and low-latency, real-time analytics. With its elaborate, distributed system, it is highly scalable and able to handle petabytes of data. A Smart Engine is built for speed and provides a scalable solution that is optimized for analytics retrieval.
Smart Engine analytics provide the information for reporting–charts and reports–to present accurate and up-to-date Web activity. The Smart Engine utilizes algorithms that perform functions such as determining real Web browsing activity, user names, and time online from Web traffic, and categorizing URLs into logical groups based on content. Without the Smart Engine and its analytics, the reporting components could not provide the adequate information that a company needs to manage employee Web use. The Smart Engine makes technical data usable and manager-ready. Examples of its algorithms are discussed below.
The most important algorithm is one that distinguishes between real Web browsing activity from user clicks (or visits) and background Web activity (unsolicited traffic or hits) by identifying the content of each URL. True visits are actual user clicks that do not include multimedia URLs, such as images, audio Web pages, advertisements, or Web pages that were requested as part of a visit, that is, unsolicited. The differentiation between Web traffic visits and hits is of high importance for companies that want to manage the human factor. Companies can get a true, meaningful picture of the level and type of Web activity occurring in their network.
When Web filtering and reporting products do not include user names in Web traffic records, user Web activity is lost and unaccounted for. The company may not even know that this is occurring. Another algorithm performed by the Smart Engine is a user name caching algorithm that uses the cache user name if available, versus the IP address, allowing you to capture all activity of the user and get more detailed data in reporting.
When users are online, they could be reading a Web page, performing another task in a different application with the browser open, or possibly away from the computer entirely with the browser open. A time online algorithm uses a highly accurate priority method for calculating users' time online. Managers and IT administrators can quickly see which users, categories, sites, and so on had the most volume of activity and address any potential issues, such as productivity loss, bandwidth slowdowns, and policy noncompliance.
Another algorithm that produces Smart Engine analytics is a categorization algorithm. This algorithm is designed to report on all Web activity. With the extensive content categories available in the Web filtering and monitoring tool, this algorithm categorizes the organization's Web activity so that managers can analyze their employees' Web usage. Proper URL categorization detects and identifies a broad range and a high percentage of total Web activity.
The Smart Engine feeds data to the reporting components of a Web monitoring and filtering tool and provides analytics for determining human behavior. You will not get this type of data directly from any firewall on the market today. The raw data itself is only information about machine/network requests. It is not about human activity, but about the machine's response to a human request to get or push information. The Smart Engine enables companies to quickly create simple Web browsing reports and analyze current or historical Web-use data from human behavior. This human behavior data is what is truly needed to effectively manage employee Web use to keep your employees and network safe.
Read more of my articles on Web-use management on LinkedIn and the Wavecrest blog: WaveNews.
Proper management of employee Web use requires that all company stakeholders be provided with the best possible information on the Web activity of their Internet users. Specifically, the right information needs to get to the right people in the right format. This might be a challenge for companies for various reasons. One reason is that managers who may want to address productivity issues with employees, based on their Internet use or abuse, do not have the information in an easy-to-read and actionable format. They may not even have reporting access to their department's Web activity whether through data visualizations such as charts, e-mailed reports, or a manager portal.
Another reason is that if there is reporting on Web traffic in the organization, it may be inadequate in showing relevant human behavior in the workplace. That is to say, almost all Web-use reporting tools provide information at the computer transaction level, not the user activity level. Hits and requests are computer-to-computer connections, i.e., all the hits/requests made when a user clicks a link. Your IT or network person is interested in computer-to-computer or computer-to-server communication, i.e., hits, requests, bytes, etc. Managers are interested in visits, time online, categories, and classifications and cannot read computer-level communication reports that don't mean anything in terms of human action.
Without knowing the human behavior in the organization, management is unable to define what is normal and flag anomalies that may indicate insider threats, i.e., human actions that threaten data security. They are also unable to detect trends in workforce productivity or determine whether an employee is in compliance with corporate policy. In this article, I will cover what you should expect from your Web monitoring and filtering solution to get the most accurate, actionable Web-use information to all company stakeholders, i.e., senior managers, IT, HR, and department managers.
Company stakeholders or collaborators require specific Web-use data and need the right information to make decisions and take action. Reliable Web-use metrics are pertinent to the output of accurate Web-use information. Metrics allow you to analyze patterns of human behavior to detect inappropriate or excessive Internet use, address employee behavioral issues, and discover events that could lead to a data breach. In your Web monitoring and filtering tool, you should be able to get this data presented in easy-to-read visualizations such as reporting dashboards, charts, and detailed audit reports. The tool should also be able to serve dashboards, reports, and metrics from an easy-to-use portal.
All of these reporting visualizations provide several benefits for IT staff, administrators, managers, HR personnel, and other users. They can supply specific information to a specific audience in the company, increasing efficiency and productivity. They can be used for analysis of human behavior which allows companies to manage and control employee Internet use. They can be customized to offer different types of analyses for different users and therefore serve different purposes. And they comprise different reporting types such as Operational, Strategic, and Analytical reporting, allowing customized reporting of the data.
Operational reporting shows activity that is happening now and is based on real-time data. With real-time employee Web-use metrics, IT can monitor Web activity in real time as well as employee bandwidth consumption. The data is updated frequently. Operational reporting components are designed to be viewed multiple times during the day. Real-time employee Web-use metrics give a real-time running display of the browsing behavior of employees, i.e., current user activity, and identifies bandwidth hogs in real time.
Strategic reporting summarizes performance over set time frames, for example, last week or last month, and its individual visualizations, such as dashboard charts, are updated on a recurring basis at less frequent intervals. In relation to key performance indicators or metrics, Strategic reporting can show a snapshot of top consumer Web activity with interactive visualizations providing the details. This data may be of interest to IT staff, managers, and HR personnel. With these interactive visualizations, collaborators can quickly discover and track which users, categories, or sites had the most activity, how much time users are spending online, and so on. With drill-down capability, these charts can provide the details of user Web activity for audits and investigations.
Analytical reporting shows trends in data over time as well as comparisons of Web activity. This data may be of interest to managers and HR personnel. Its data visualizations may consist of trend and comparison charts as well as detailed audit reports, allowing collaborators to analyze large volumes of Web activity data for long-term audits and forensic investigations. Comparison charts allow collaborators to compare the Web traffic for a set date range with that of a previous period to detect any anomalies in Web activity. Analytical reporting also includes categorized, detailed audit reports that can deliver a comprehensive analysis of user activity including their visits, search terms, and inappropriate sites. They can be quickly run as ad hoc reports saving time in audits or investigations.
As mentioned earlier, your Web monitoring and filtering tool should be able to serve these data visualizations from a portal that is accessible to managers as well as an IT administrator. IT should be able to easily distribute reports manually or schedule reports for automatic distribution to managers as necessary. In the self-service portal, managers would be able to create reports on their authorized groups without assistance from IT and drill down to detailed user Web activity.
While reliable metrics are a critical part of Web-use data, your tool should also include a Smart Engine that feeds that data to the reporting components and provides analytics for determining human behavior because the raw data itself is only information about machine/network requests. It is not about human activity, but about the machine's response to a human request to get or push information. In the next article, we will discuss Smart Engine analytics and its importance in deriving human behavior from Web-use data.
Read more of my articles on Web-use management on LinkedIn.
Because managing employee Web use deals with humans and their actions, it is a continuous process for all sizes and types of businesses, where the goal is to ensure employees use Web access safely for productive, work-related purposes. To attain a high level of success, I believe that this process requires a Web-use management program be put in place that involves many key players in the organization, communication of the company's Web-use policy, implementation of a reliable tool to monitor and control Web use, and other important activities. In this article, I will discuss the requirements of an effective employee Web-use management program and the activities involved that will bring about safe and productive Internet use by the workforce.
The key ingredient in an effective program is collaboration and communication among the various groups in the company, i.e., senior management, Legal department, IT personnel, HR personnel, department managers and supervisors, and employees. Communication would include IT keeping company stakeholders informed about current hacker threats, as well as HR apprising senior management of pertinent employee Web-use behavior. Collaboration would occur among HR, IT, and department managers in training the workforce. Collaboration would also take place between IT and department heads to select the appropriate Web monitoring and filtering tool.
If you don't have one already, another necessity of a Web-use management program is to develop a sound Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) consistent with corporate culture. The AUP should describe acceptable and unacceptable Web-use behavior, i.e., company rules for what constitutes desirable, acceptable, unacceptable, and abusive use of the Internet and other network resources. The policy should also clearly state how compliance will be monitored and what the consequences will be to employees abusing the use of network resources. Does your company have an AUP in place that spells out the rules to your employees?
To ensure adherence to the Web-use policy, it should be clearly communicated to the entire workforce, including management, informing them of what is and what is not acceptable in easily understood language. You may also want to have employees acknowledge that they read and understood the policy through a signed acknowledgement. HR and management personnel should hold meetings with workgroups to answer questions and provide any additional information. This fosters open communication in the workplace and allows employees to be more engaged in proper Internet usage.
In addition to communicating the policy to all concerned, another requirement of an effective Web-use management program is training employees on how to use Web access productively and safely. Whether training is conducted or coordinated by HR or in collaboration with managers and other department personnel, training sessions should cover Internet usage and related subjects. Specifically, employees need to be made aware of what sites they are visiting and what they are clicking on the Web. The purpose of training should be to encourage proper, productive, and safe use of network resources while reinforcing the information in the AUP.
An important requirement of a Web-use management program is to use a reliable software tool that is designed specifically to monitor compliance with Web-use policies and proactively control Web access. The tool should also include a smart reporting engine that distinguishes between user clicks (visits) and unsolicited traffic (hits) and easily presents accurate and up-to-date Web-use data, identifying desirable Web usage as well as unacceptable use and trends. Does your tool include a Smart Engine that analyzes Web traffic to better interpret human behavior? Does it generate easy-to-read, manager-ready reports? Does it give details on employee Web use with drill-down reporting capability? These are key features of a Web monitoring and filtering tool that will benefit IT, HR, and department managers.
Another activity that is necessary is following up with corrective actions when inappropriate Web access is detected. With a policy in place, personnel oriented, the workforce trained, and your Web monitoring and filtering solution actively monitoring and controlling Web use, there are still more activities to do. The tool will inevitably reveal patterns of inappropriate use or disclose signs of outright abuse. These incidents will require attention by HR and management personnel. After identifying the problems, management can take appropriate follow-up actions, such as counseling employees, training or retraining workers, changing work processes, and revising or clarifying the AUP. Managers may also need to institute follow-up audits on individual users and, in worst case, take disciplinary action including termination.
The final element of an effective employee Web-use management program that I will cover involves the establishment of a continuous improvement process by the collaboration team, i.e., HR, IT, department managers, etc. In this process, there would be frequent reviews of employee Web use, new Web services introduced into the network, and new security threats, modifications of work processes, and appropriate revisions of the AUP. All company stakeholders would be involved. What other activities have been effective in your company in managing employee Web use?
Unauthorized Web use can degrade workforce productivity, impact network performance, threaten network security, and create legal liabilities. Any of these outcomes can seriously impact your bottom line. An effective employee Web-use management program is essential to prevent this from happening. If the responsibilities of an effective program are carried out well, misuse and abuse of network resources will be minimized without damaging workforce engagement and morale. Getting accurate, actionable information to all collaborators is a must, and the tool that you are using should be able to provide this information. Next time I will discuss how to get this information with reliable metrics generated by a reporting tool.
World Cup 2018 starts next week… is your business ready?
The US may have disappointed many by being knocked out of the World Cup 2018, but don't think fans will want to miss watching the games anyway. No matter where you are geographically, the World Cup is an event that carries fans even when their team doesn't make it all the way! Is your business prepared for your employees' inevitable streaming and Web surfing?
Even four years ago, many may have watched the World Cup on cable or satellite TV versus streaming. In 2018 though, many, known as cord-cutters, have even chosen to remove cable services at home and just stream on their televisions–making streaming a new way of life! Since the games are based in Russia this year, the time difference will likely cause games to be during working hours not only in the US, but even in Europe. Which means, devoted fans, I mean employees, may end up streaming at work potentially slowing down or clogging your bandwidth.
There is also the neverending threat of phishing e-mails and malicious ads. They tend to increase exponentially around events like this. Now is the time to make sure you have tools in place to block intentional or accidental access to malicious URL links, and have some refresher training for your employees on what to look for, avoid, and report.
The World Cup doesn't happen often. It might be time to just let them catch some highlights on company time. But that doesn't mean you have to risk productivity, bandwidth speed, or network and data security. CyBlock allows you to choose how much or how little risk, and to even change your mind in the middle. Let them enjoy without sacrificing your organizational priorities.
CyBlock® Employee Web Filtering and Monitoring Solutions provide advanced Web filtering, threat protection, comprehensive employee reporting, Smart Engine analytics, easy-to-use admin and manager portals, and more. Customers can easily configure CyBlock to monitor and manage compliance with their usage policies. CyBlock is available in various deployment options: CyBlock Software, CyBlock Appliance, CyBlock Mini Appliance, CyBlock Cloud, and CyBlock Hybrid as well as a Virtual Appliance version.
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No more consolidation confusion . . . just leading employee Web-use management solutions that fit.
Companies change, grow, restructure, merge, acquire, and get acquired. It's business and we know how that can be. Those of us that have seen this happen from within know that true impacts to the general business structure and overall goals don't really show up for a year or two. Rarely does an acquired or merged business stay the same. The impact though can be internal, within the employee structure or daily business operations, or there can be more obvious external impact to the financial status of the business, such as going private, or to the customer base focus. The last being the most likely to cause a domino-style effect of disruption.
Now is the time to really consider how to handle the consolidation changes that have been announced by Forcepoint. With the Raytheon acquisition of Websense a few years ago, everyone knew changes would come eventually. Unfortunately, the recently announced business consolidation will tend to leave some traditional Web-use management customers out in the cold. Whether you were a Websense customer before Raytheon or have gone to Forcepoint looking for the Websense-style solution in the last few years, you know what you are looking for from a Web-use management solution. Give CyBlock and Cyfin a try. Depending on what you need for your unique business, the first and only decision you need to make is Wavecrest. With deployments to fit every business size, type, and need, Wavecrest will allow you the comfort of moving away from the large corporate hassles to a successful, mature, privately held vendor that proudly focuses on customer needs and technological advancements.
Leave the government contractor-level pricing, contractual terms, and confusion behind. Don't become another ticket number. Let Wavecrest focus on your business and your specific requirements. Contact us and speak to a U.S.-based customer service or technical support person today. We consider it part of the job to keep our customers happy.
Cyfin® provides advanced employee Web-use analysis and reporting for a wide variety of gateway devices and log file formats. Comprehensive yet easy to use, its customized reporting capabilities supply audience-specific Web-use information with reliable metrics, easy-to-read reporting dashboards, manager-ready detailed audit reports, and Smart Engine analytics. Cyfin is available in various deployment options: Cyfin Software, Cyfin Forensic, and Cyfin VM.
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When it comes to a company's Internet-connected network, the IT department or person is responsible for not only providing the right access to the Internet to employees, but keeping the company's network and data secure. In order to do this, IT must invest time in examining the most suitable Web filtering and monitoring solution for the organization and implement it. Besides deploying firewalls, network security equipment, and data loss prevention tools to keep hackers out, IT also needs to keep all company stakeholders informed about the latest tactics being used by hackers to trick employees and compromise security measures put in place. In this article, I will cover why collaboration and input from others as well as the need for research and implementation of the right security equipment are important in managing employee Web use effectively in the organization.
Today, the biggest security threats are not from firewall breaches, but from trusted internal employees who are getting tricked into doing the wrong things, compromising all the well-planned and expensive security measures put in place by IT. To ensure productive and safe Internet access by all employees, actual usage needs to be monitored and controlled. IT needs to implement a reliable Web security tool that can monitor and report on Web use as well as control access to specific Web sites. This type of tool would help identify threats and attacks in the company's network and also deliver accurate results in Web activity reporting. It would provide data that is easy to consume by all audiences in the company including department managers and HR personnel.
Another important IT task in managing employee Web use is granting the proper authorization to users and groups in the company. In so doing, IT can restrict access to Web sites based on need, to only sites that allow the employee to perform his/her job, or to only data associated with managers' authorized users. With the right tool implemented, IT can also send easy-to-read reports directly to managers by manual distribution via e-mail or automatic distribution via scheduling. To make their job even easier, if the Web security tool includes a reporting-only access portal, IT, by only controlling portal access privileges, can grant self-service access to managers and HR, allowing them to run their own reports on their authorized groups without needing assistance.
As part of their role in employee Web-use management, IT must collaborate with all company stakeholders, i.e., senior managers, Legal, HR, and department managers. When IT is looking for an appropriate tool for these collaborators to use, it is important that the tool includes a Smart Engine that analyzes Web-use data in order to better interpret human behavior. The generated information can then be easily consumed by all including nontechnical personnel. IT would not need to massage or manipulate the data or be burdened by having to answer a lot of questions. The generated information would be best presented in easy-to-read, manager-ready, drill-down reports that give more detail on employees' Web traffic. As part of this collaboration, IT should share pertinent information with HR and management when the Web filtering and monitoring product reveals patterns of inappropriate use. In this way, HR and management can determine the appropriate action to be taken.
Cyber attacks are growing in prominence every day targeting small and large businesses. On average, more than 4,000 ransomware attacks have occurred daily since 2016. 1 in 131 e-mails contains malware. As the number of malware types and variants continues to grow and evolve to bypass your antivirus program and other levels of protection, it is necessary for your IT team to keep well-informed of the latest hacker exploits and attacks, and put in place a secure Web filtering and monitoring solution to detect and block malware and other online threats.
IT plays a fundamental role in the proper management of employee Web use. Every year, hackers come up with new ways to trick users into giving up sensitive data, revealing credentials to their accounts, or clicking links to malicious Web sites. It is imperative that IT take the time to thoroughly research and implement the right Web filtering and monitoring tool to protect employees and the company's network. It is also critical that this tool includes a Smart Engine to analyze the technical data and provide the necessary information on human activity. IT also needs to communicate the latest hacker tricks and traps to all stakeholders in the company, including HR and management, so that the workforce can be properly trained. Collaboration, communication, and training are essential to an effective employee Web-use management program. In the next articles, we will delve into the requirements of an effective employee Web-use management program, the importance of creating a well-designed Acceptable Use Policy, and other topics related to employee Web-use management.
Please let me know your thoughts on and reactions to this article and my questions by adding a comment. What challenges does your IT department or person face in managing employee Internet use effectively? Is IT communicating security vulnerabilities and exploits to your HR personnel, managers, and other company stakeholders?
Follow me on LinkedIn or read more articles on Web-use management on the Wavecrest blog: WaveNews.
My discussion here is about the suitability of HR being the hub for employee Web-use management where all company stakeholders are brought together to ensure safe and productive Internet use by all employees. For one, HR's expertise typically includes personnel policy, codes of conduct, labor relations, workforce training, legal compliance issues, and workforce morale, all of which relate to the employee Web-use management issue. Because of their expertise in policy, training, and processes, HR is in the best position to coordinate the tasks of proposing and developing solutions to ensure that employee Web use is properly managed. After all, Web-use management is not just an IT issue. It is all about employee behavior, productivity, and morale. What Internet-use people issues are you seeing in your company? How are you solving them?
Communication is key in HR's collaboration with managers, IT, and employees in the company. Starting at the top of the company, HR can educate senior managers on the importance of employee Web-use management, get their input, and keep them involved. By collaborating with IT whose access to highly accurate Web-use reporting and filtering tools can produce easy-to-consume Web activity data, HR can keep upper management apprised of pertinent employee Web behavior. This allows HR to contribute to the organization's profitability and help keep the company out of severe legal difficulty–important business objectives for senior managers.
As the focal point in the employee Web-use management effort, HR can also schedule Web-use training programs for managers and employees, coordinating with Legal, IT, or department managers who observe a need or have the specific knowledge to train the workforce. Training could include instruction on the proper use of network resources, how to recognize a phishing e-mail message, how to detect malware symptoms, how to recognize and report other online threats, and other Web-use topics. Essentially, training would teach employees how to use Web access productively and safely. In this way, all areas of the company play an important role in proper network resources and policy training that would have a significant impact on corporate Web security. Are these types of training programs taking place in your company?
Another HR task would be to communicate the company's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) to the workforce by providing it in writing or electronically, requiring a signature to indicate acceptance of the policy. If you do not have a policy, HR, in collaboration with IT, Legal, and senior managers, would be well-suited to establish a sound AUP consistent with your company's culture. Once the policy is created, HR can work with functional managers and IT to ensure optimum implementation of the policy. As Web activity is analyzed over time, HR can revise the policy as necessary. Managers and HR would work together to ensure employees are complying with the Web-use policy. Along with managers, HR would be involved in specific cases of policy noncompliance.
In communicating the policy to the workforce, HR would focus on promoting the interest of the company as a whole, while helping to maintain or improve employee morale. Managing employees' use of Web-access resources is a sensitive and complex task, one that involves communicating with all groups–senior managers, managers, IT, and employees–and deals with policy, training, and continuous improvement processes. With HR as the hub, the continuous improvement process would involve the frequent review of employee Web use, new Web services introduced into the network, and new security threats, as well as modification of work processes and appropriate revision of the AUP.
All areas of the company can help manage employee Web use effectively. In the next articles, we will examine more closely IT's role in employee Web-use management, the requirements of an effective Web-use management program, developing a sound AUP consistent with corporate culture, and other topics related to the human factor of data security.
Please let me know your thoughts on and reactions to this article and my questions by adding a comment. If HR is leading the Web-use management efforts in your business, in what other ways are they collaborating with others in the company?