text:
The Blind Boys of Alabama, also billed as The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, and Clarence Fountain and the Blind Boys of Alabama, is an American gospel group.  The group was founded in 1939 in Talladega, Alabama, and has featured a changing roster of musicians over its history, the majority of whom are or were vision impaired.

The Blind Boys found mainstream success following their appearance in the 1983 Obie Award-winning musical The Gospel at Colonus. Since then, the group has toured internationally and has performed and recorded with such artists as Prince, Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, Ben Harper, Bon Iver, and Amadou & Mariam. The group's cover of the Tom Waits song "Way Down in the Hole" was used as the theme song for the first season of the HBO series The Wire.

The Blind Boys have won five Grammy Awards in addition to being presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. They were endowed with a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1994, they were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2003 and they were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2010. The group was also invited to the White House during the Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama administrations.

Group member Ricky McKinnie said in a 2011 interview with the magazine Mother Jones: "Our disability doesn't have to be a handicap. It's not about what you can't do. It's about what you do. And what we do is sing good gospel music."

History

1930s and 1940s
The Blind Boys of Alabama first sang together in 1939 as part of the school chorus at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Deaf and Blind in Talladega, Alabama. The founding members were Clarence Fountain (19292018), George Scott (19292005), Velma Bozman Traylor (19231947), Johnny Fields (19272009), Olice Thomas (b. 1926, d. unknown), and the only sighted member, J. T. Hutton (c. 19242012.)

Early influences of the Blind Boys include the Golden Gate Quartet, The Soul Stirrers and The Heavenly Gospel Singers. While the boys were not allowed to sing black gospel music at their school (which was run by an all-white faculty), they were able to hear it on the radio.

The earliest version of the group was known as The Happy Land Jubilee Singers and their first performances were for World War II soldiers at nearby encampments, where the boys sung for pocket change. The group's first professional performance was on June 10, 1944, during a broadcast from radio station WSGN (currently WAGG) in Birmingham, Alabama. The following year, the members dropped out of school and began touring the gospel circuit. In 1947, lead vocalist Traylor died in a gun accident.

In 1948, a Newark, New Jersey promoter booked the Happy Land Jubilee Singers along with a gospel act from Mississippi known as the Jackson Harmoneers, whose members were also visually impaired, and advertised the program as the "Battle of the Blind Boys."  The two acts soon changed their names to the Five Blind Boys of Alabama and the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and often toured together. The Blind Boys' early sound was also influenced by the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi who were singing in the "hard gospel" style that was becoming popular at the time. Hard gospel often involved a shrieking and screaming style of singing and during performances some audience members reportedly would get so excited that some would have to be sent to the hospital.

The Blind Boys made their first recordings in 1948 on the Coleman label and their first national hit was "I Can See Everybody's Mother But Mine" released in 1949. Their success led to a series of recordings on various record labels.

Reverend Paul Exkano of the King Solomon Baptist Church in New Orleans joined the group shortly after they changed their name to Five Blind Boys of Alabama and was present during the group's first recordings in 1948 and 1949, but he left the group after two years and was replaced by Percell Perkins of the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, later replaced by Joe Watson.

1950s
During the 1950s, black gospel music was popular and the Blind Boys were one of the better known groups. Artists from pop and rock genres began to include aspects of black gospel music in their arrangements and black gospel artists such as Ray Charles and Sam Cooke began crossing over to pop and rock music. Ray Charles's manager offered the Blind Boys a big touring deal if they would cross over to other genres, but the group decided to stick to their gospel roots. They signed with Specialty Records in 1953, but left five years later, after again being pressured to sing secular music.

While the Blind Boys were selling records in the 1950s, they did not make much money. In an interview with Ebony magazine in 2003, Fountain stated that they signed contracts that took advantage of them and that they were each paid $50 per album side and the record company kept the rest. By 1953, each member made $100 per side and, as per Fountain, "That was good money in that day. We didn't know what we were worth."

1960s and 1970s
Into the 1960s the popularity of traditional gospel music was on the decline and soul music gained favor as a new type of secular black music. At the same time, rhythm and blues and rock musicians began to incorporate traditional gospel sounds into their music. The term soul was originally used by gospel musicians in the 1950s to identify the spiritual nature of their music. By the late 1960s, the term being used more commonly to describe all popular music by African Americans.

During the 1960s, the Blind Boys performed at benefits for Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement. They continued to resist offers to sing more secular music. Fountain attributed their resistance to selling out to their lack of need, noting that they were happy and well-fed as they were and wanted to enjoy performing the music they sought to perform, as opposed to recording popular music solely for a paycheck.

In 1969, Fountain left the group in order to pursue a solo career. Neither the Blind Boys nor Fountain found much success into the 1970s. In 1972, guitarist Samuel Butler Jr. (son of the guitarist of the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi) joined the group. Fountain returned to the group in 1977.

1980s and 1990s
During their first 40 years, the Blind Boys had primarily played for black gospel audiences, mainly in churches and school auditoriums. The 1980s would mark the group's exposure to a wider audience.

By the early 1980s, singer Clarence Fountain had taken the role as the group's frontman. It was at this time that the group was joined by vocalist Jimmy Carter, whose first recording with the group was on their 1982 record I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord. Carter sang with the Dixieland Blind Boys, as well as the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, prior to his work with The Blind Boys of Alabama. Carter was a student of the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind when the group was originally formed, but was too young to join the group when they began touring.

In 1983, the group (billed as Clarence Fountain and The Five Blind Boys of Alabama) was cast in the theatrical production The Gospel at Colonus, an African-American musical version of Sophocles' tragedy, Oedipus at Colonus. In the play, the Blind Boys collectively played the part of blinded Oedipus. The cast included Morgan Freeman as well as members of The Soul Stirrers. The Gospel at Colonus won an Obie for Best Musical in 1984 and the production moved to Broadway in 1988. The play's success led to the Blind Boys' exposure to a wider mainstream audience and marked a turning point for the group.

In 1990, vocalist and percussionist Ricky McKinnie was invited by Fountain to join the Blind Boys. McKinnie had actually met the Blind Boys when he was about five years old. McKinnie's mother, Sarah McKinnie Shivers, was a singer who would often cross paths with the Blind Boys while she was on tour. McKinnie lost his sight due to glaucoma at age 23, but had been playing drums for over a decade prior.

The Blind Boys released Deep River in 1992, which was nominated for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards. The album was produced by Booker T. Jones, and featured a version of Bob Dylan's "I Believe In You." In 1993, they appeared as musical guests on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

In 1994, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded a National Heritage Fellowship to Clarence Fountain and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama. The award was presented to the Blind Boys by First Lady Hillary Clinton.

In 1995, the Blind Boys became the first artists to be signed to the new House of Blues gospel label, for which they recorded their first live album I Brought Him with Me. The album featured appearances from blues singers Koko Taylor and Solomon Burke. In December 1996, the group appeared in the Christmas episode of TV series Beverly Hills, 90210 titled "Gift Wrapped". The Blind Boys continued experimenting with contemporary popular music on their 1997 release Holding On, also released on the House of Blues label. The album contained elements of funk and reggae.

2000s

The Blind Boys of Alabama enjoyed further exposure and success in the 2000s and 2010s, including collaborations with many high-profile musical artists. Their songs were featured on soundtracks of television series, such as Boston Public, Lost, and Criminal Minds, as well as films, such as Madea Goes to Jail, Alpha and Omega, and Hop. The Blind Boys made an appearance in the film The Fighting Temptations and were featured on such television series as 60 Minutes II and The Colbert Report, as well as on multiple episodes of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with David Letterman. They were invited to perform at the White House in both 2002 during the presidency of George W. Bush for a celebration of gospel music, and in 2010 during the presidency of Barack Obama for a celebration of music from the civil rights movement.

In 2001, the Blind Boys released Spirit of the Century on Peter Gabriel's Real World Records. The album won the award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. The album included a version of "I Just Want to See His Face" by The Rolling Stones as well as a version of the song "Amazing Grace" arranged to the tune of "The House of the Rising Sun".

In 2002, they released Higher Ground, an album that combines traditional gospel lyrics with the music of other artists. The title song is a rendition of the Stevie Wonder hit, but some of the lyrics were changed to make it a gospel song—for example, the line "Lovers, keep on lovin'" became "Prayers, keep on prayin." Other songs covered on the album include "People Get Ready" by Curtis Mayfield, "Spirit in the Dark" by Aretha Franklin, "The Cross" by Prince, and "You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks" by Funkadelic. The album won the Blind Boys another Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album and also won them a GMA Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year. The Blind Boys also performed on the steps of the Library of Congress in 2002.

In 2003, the Blind Boys released Go Tell It on the Mountain.  The album contains renditions of mostly Christmas-related gospel songs and features guest artists Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Michael Franti, Chrissie Hynde, Richard Thompson, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, Shelby Lynne, George Clinton, Robert Randolph, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Les McCann. The album went on to win the Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album.

The Blind Boys performed live twice with Lou Reed: In 2004, they performed together at a private concert on the floor of the UN General Assembly for the Landmine Survivors Network and in 2010, they appeared on Late Night with David Letterman and performed "Jesus", a song originally released by The Velvet Underground on their eponymous album.

The Blind Boys collaborated several times with Ben Harper: Harper played guitar on the Blind Boys' albums Higher Ground and Spirit of the Century. The Blind Boys again collaborated with Harper on his 2004 album There Will Be a Light and toured with him throughout Europe that year. The majority of the songs were Harper originals, but the album also included a cover of Bob Dylan and Danny O'Keefe's "Well, Well, Well."  There Will Be a Light also won the Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. The following year, Harper and the Blind Boys released Live at the Apollo, a recording of their live performance from the Apollo Theater in October 2004.

The Blind Boys released the album Atom Bomb in 2005. The album features cover versions of songs such as "Demons" by Fatboy Slim and Macy Gray, (a track that also featured a guest appearance by rapper Gift of Gab); Blind Faith's "Presence of the Lord," featuring soul musician Billy Preston; and a cover of Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky," featuring David Hidalgo of Los Lobos and blues musician Charlie Musselwhite. The album was awarded the prize for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year at the 37th GMA Dove Awards.

On March 9, 2005, at the age of 75, vocalist George Scott died of complications from diabetes and a heart condition. In 2006, vocalist Ben Moore was invited to join the group by Carter.  Moore had previously performed under the name "Bobby Purify" as part of the R&B duo James & Bobby Purify and continued to use the name as a solo artist after the duo broke up in the 1980s. In 2007, Fountain stopped touring with the group due to complications from diabetes.

In 2008, the Blind Boys released the album Down in New Orleans. The album was recorded in New Orleans, which was a first for the group, and includes songs written by or made famous by New Orleans musicians along with updated gospel standards. Many tracks also feature guest musicians from the city.  Tracks include a jazzy version of the popular gospel song "Uncloudy Day", backed by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band; blues song "Make a Better World" written by musician Earl King), backed by the Hot 8 Brass Band; as well as a bluesy version of "If I Could Help Somebody" by Mahalia Jackson with Allen Toussaint on piano. The album also won the GMA Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year.

The Blind Boys released their album Duets in 2009. Each song features a duet between the Blind Boys and another artist; some of these artists include Susan Tedeschi, Bonnie Raitt, and John Hammond. Earlier that same year, the group was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.

2010s
In 2010, the Blind Boys were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

In 2011, the group appeared in the animated feature film Hop.

Vocalist Billy Bowers left the group in 2011 when he was injured and underwent back surgery. Bowers' role as vocalist was filled by Ricky McKinnie, who was also the groups' percussionist for many years. Bowers died July 2, 2013, of heart failure in Montgomery, Alabama at the age of 71.

In 2013, the Blind Boys released I'll Find a Way, produced by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.  The album also features guest appearances by Sam Amidon and Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards. The following year, the Blind Boys released Talkin' Christmas! in collaboration with blues musician Taj Mahal.

In 2016, the Blind Boys contributed to God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson, a tribute album recorded in honor of gospel musician Blind Willie Johnson. The Blind Boys performed the song "Mother's Children Have a Hard Time", a performance that was nominated for Best American Roots Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. The album was also nominated in the category of Best Roots Gospel Album.

In 2017, the Blind Boys released the album Almost Home on BBOA Records in collaboration with Amazon Music. Fountain also rejoined the group for the album's recording.  The songs on the album were written for the Blind Boys by writers including Marc Cohn, Phil Cook, John Leventhal, and Valerie June. The Blind Boys' manager, Charles Driebe, recorded interviews with the members of the group then shared them with the songwriters who wrote songs reflecting the Blind Boys' personal stories. The song "Let My Mother Live" from the album was nominated for Best American Roots Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. Written by Leventhal, the song is about Carter as a young boy at the Alabama Institute and "how scared I was, and that I wanted my mother to live until I got grown." On August 28, 2020, Single Lock Records released the Blind Boys' album Almost Home to all platforms, including a bonus track: previously unreleased Bob Dylan song, "See By Faith."

On June 3, 2018, Clarence Fountain died of complications from diabetes at the age of 88 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His final performance with the Blind Boys of Alabama was on May 16, 2018, at the Manship Theatre there.

September 2018 saw the release of the Muscle Shoals tribute album, Small Town, Big Sound.  The Blind Boys, along with blues musician Mike Farris, performed a cover of the song "Respect Yourself." The album also featured cover songs by such artists as Steven Tyler, Willie Nelson, Grace Potter, Chris Stapleton, and Kid Rock.

In January 2019, the Blind Boys performed with Marc Cohn at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. The performance was broadcast on the PBS live music series The Kate that spring.

Over the summer of 2019, the Blind Boys toured Europe with blind Afro-pop duo Amadou & Mariam. Similar to the Blind Boys, the husband-and-wife duo originally met in 1975 at the Bamako Institute for the Blind in Mali. During the tour, the two groups of vocalists would provide vocal accompaniment to performances of each group's songs. They would also perform original material that they had created together, such as the songs "Bamako to Birmingham" and "Two Cultures, One Beat."

In August of that same year, the Blind Boys released a collaborative album with Marc Cohn titled Work To Do. The album features Cohn and the Blind Boys performing new and older material by Cohn in addition to renditions of traditional gospel songs. Seven of the tracks are recordings from their performance on The Kate earlier that same year, including Cohn's hit "Walking in Memphis", as well the Blind Boys' version of "Amazing Grace" to the melody of "The House of the Rising Sun". On October 15, 2019, the group appeared on Today to perform the title track alongside Marc Cohn.

Music blog UDiscoverMusic named Blind Boys the longest standing music group, as they are still touring and writing/recording music after being founded in 1939. In 2019, Jason Isbell selected the Blind Boys to join him for his October residency at the Ryman Auditorium. Shortly after, they were featured with Irish TV host Hector Ó hEochagáin for his show Hector USA. The Blind Boys' 2019 Christmas Tour earned the praise of The New Yorker, which commented "The beloved gospel ensemble the Blind Boys of Alabama...remains perennially fresh, whether it's interjecting godliness into unexpected songs or, as in this case, saluting Christmas."

2020s
In March 2020, the group toured Australia and New Zealand, performing at the Womadelaide and Womad NZ festivals. In May 2020, Woodstock legend Wavy Gravy included the Blind Boys in his virtual music festival celebrating his 84th birthday.

To kick off 2021, the Recording Academy featured the Blind Boys performing 'If I Had a Hammer' on their "Positive Vibes Only" series. Later that year, the Blind Boys teamed up with Béla Fleck to release a new version of "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" for Record Store Day. The song went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best American Roots Performance category.

Singer Ben Moore (Benjamin Moore, Jr.) died of natural causes on May 12, 2022. He was 80 years old. In July 2022, the Blind Boys were featured as performers at the closing ceremonies of the World Games at the Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. They performed with Jamey Johnson and a 75-piece orchestra led by Dr. Henry Panion on a bill headlined by Lionel Richie.

In September 2022, the Blind Boys released two collaborative tracks with Black Violin titled "We Are One" and "The Message", the latter of which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Americana Performance. The View featured the Blind Boys on Martin Luther King Jr Day 2023, including an interview and multiple performances.

Awards and nominations

Other honors

Current members

Founding members

Past members

Discography

As main artists

1949 – I Can See Everybody's Mother But Mine – Coleman Records
1950 – Sweet Honey in the Rocks – Palda Records
1950 – Livin' On Mother's Prayers – Palda Records
1950 – Come Over Here The Table Spread – Palda Records
1953 – The Sermon
1953 – When I Lost My Mother – Specialty Records
1954 – Marching Up To Zion – Specialty Records
1954 – Oh Lord, Stand By Me – Specialty Records
1958 – My Mother's Train – Vee-Jay Records
1959 – God is On the Throne – Savoy Records
1959 – The Original Blind Boys – Savoy Records
1963 – (1957) You'll Never Walk Alone – HOB Records
1963 – Old Time Religion – HOB Records
1963 – True Convictions – HOB Records
1965 – Can I Get a Witness? – HOB Records
1967 – Church Concert in New Orleans (Live) – HOB Records
1969 – Fix it Jesus Like You Said You Would – Keen Records
1969 – Jesus Will Be Waiting
1970 – In the Gospel Light
1970 – The Five Blind Boys From Alabama
1970 – The Soul of Clarence Fountain
1973 – Best of Five Blind Boys of Alabama
1974 – Precious Memories
1978 – The Soldier Album – PIR Records
1981 – Faith Moves Mountains – Messiah Records
1982 – I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord
1987 – In the Hands of the Lord
1989 – I'm a Changed Man – Wajji Records
1989 – The Five Blind Boys of Alabama
1990 – Brand New – Wajji Records
1990 – I'm Not That Way Anymore – Atlanta International Records
1991 – I am a Soldier
1991 – Oh Lord, Stand By Me / Marching Up to Zion
1991 – The Best of the Five Blind Boys
1992 – Deep River – Elektra/Nonesuch Records
1993 – Bridge Over Troubled Waters
1994 – Alive in Person
1994 – Blessed Assurance
1994 – Don't Forget To Pray
1994 – In the Gospel Light
1994 – Soul Gospel
1994 – Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
1995 – 1948–51
1995 – I Brought Him With Me – House of Blues Music Company
1996 – All Things Are Possible
1996 – Golden Moments in Gospel
1997 – Holdin' On – House of Blues Music Company
1998 – Have Faith: The Very Best of the Five Blind Boys of Alabama
1999 – Best of Clarence Fountain and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama
1999 – Hallelujah: A Collection of Their Finest
2000 – My Lord What a Morning
2001 – Spirit of the Century – Real World Records
2001 – You'll Never Walk Alone / True Convictions (reissue)
2002 – Higher Ground – Real World Records
2003 – Amazing Grace
2003 – Go Tell It on the Mountain – Real World Records
2004 – There Will Be a Light (with Ben Harper) – Virgin Records
2005 – Live at the Apollo (with Ben Harper)
2005 – Atom Bomb – Real World Records
2006 – Just a Closer Walk with Thee, a compilation of work ranging from the years 1963–1965
2008 – Down in New Orleans – Time Life – Grammy winner
2009 – Enlightenment – The Great American Music Co. (2 CDs)
2009 – Duets (compilation of collaborations with other artists) – Saguaro Road Records
2010 – Faith Moves Mountains (reissue)
2011 – Take the High Road – Saguaro Road Records
2013 – I'll Find a Way – Sony Masterworks
2014 – Talkin' Christmas! (with Taj Mahal) – Sony Masterworks
2017 – Almost Home – BBOA Records/Single Lock Records
2019 – Work To Do (with Marc Cohn) – BMG Records
2021 – I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free (with Bela Fleck) – Single Lock Records

As featured or guest artists
2002 – Up by Peter Gabriel on his song "Sky Blue"
2002 – Lifted: Songs of the Spirit – "Freedom Road"
2002 – WYEP Live and Direct: Volume 4 – On Air Performances – "Amazing Grace"
2002 – Don't Give Up on Me by Solomon Burke on his song "None of Us Are Free"
2003 – Brother Bear: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack – "Welcome" with Phil Collins and Oren Waters
2005 – Redemption Songs – "Nothing But The Blood"
2007 – Song of America – "Let Us Break Bread Together"
2014 – Songs from a Stolen Spring – "Freedom"
2016 – God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson – "Mother's Children Have a Hard Time"

Notes

References

External links

American gospel musical groups
Musical groups from Alabama
Blind musicians
Real World Records artists
African-American musical groups
Musical groups established in 1939
Jewel Records artists
Articles containing video clips
American blues musical groups
Ben Harper
Omnivore Recordings artists
National Heritage Fellowship winners
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Proper Records artists

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Why support for Welsh Independence could hit 40% by 2020
Growing daffodil
In the 19 years since the turn of the millennium, a total of five new independent nations have come to exist.
These nations are found around the globe, from Montenegro and Kosovo in Europe, to South Sudan in Africa.
Other currently 'stateless nations' look set to join them. Most obviously Scotland.
But what about Wales? Thanks to poll results published near the end of 2018 we have been given a fresh insight into the levels of support for independence in Wales.
With this new information, do we find public opinion in Wales is moving in the direction of independence?
The yes/no independence question that would mirror that used in a referendum has been asked in large polls to voters in Wales three times recently, in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
The figure for Independence obtained from polls is shown below (excluding 'Would not vote/Don't know'), with the 50% support line added.
The above graphic shows that support has now risen to around 23%, from the 14% in favour of Welsh Independence in 2014.
This is an increase of around 2% per year for Independence for Wales since 2014.
Assuming this continues and starting from 23% in 2018, this rate of 2% a year suggests it may take 14 years to reach over 50% in favour. This would be around 2032.
Of course, that is just the current trend and one can't assume that it will continue at this rate.
What we can say with more certainty is that support has been increasing and in a 'Yes/No' vote tomorrow somewhere just above 20% would vote Yes. A recent poll by Sky suggested a similar number.
This may be a few percentage points higher by 2020 if this trend continues, but 40% by 2020 is hugely unlikely based on this alone.
However, there may be a few other key developments for Welsh independence.
In 2016 some useful parallel work was performed in the polls, on two points that could be crucial in Welsh Independence. Two follow-up questions were asked, regarding potential future situations:
The first concerned Scotland leaving the UK, the 'break-up' of the UK as we know it, and how this would affect voters.
The second asked voters to imagine that Wales left the EU as part of the UK and could return by becoming Independent, and how this would affect the vote
Starting at the 19% 'Yes' vote in 2016 from the first graph, the support increases around 5% points for Scottish Independence and around 16% points, from 19% to 35%, in the second situation. These would be significant numbers. And at the close of 2018 these scenarios seem increasingly likely to become real rather that imagined.
Further, consider that these two hypothetical situations were asked as separate events. That is, 'Imagine the first OR the second has occurred', not 'imagine both have occurred'. If both events transpire it may be that some combination of the 5% and 16% increases come to pass.
Additionally, these votes don't include the continual increase from 2016 to 2018 seen in the first graph, which by 2020 is likely to total another few percentage points (based on the current trend).
Overall this means the Welsh Independence 'Yes' vote is projected to gain around:
5% for Scottish Independence
16% for Wales having left the EU and can re-join EU through Independence
and 2% per year generally
These potential changes to the vote are shown below. (A conservative 2% increase only has been added as the 2020 projection.)
Again, it must be noted that assumptions are being made here. These polling numbers do all have a degree of error. These are not unreasonable suggestions however given the results of the polls.
From 23% support in 2018 (excluding 'Would not vote/Don't knows') it is clear how support for an Independent Wales in a 'Yes/No' referendum could increase by a large amount and even reach 40% in the near future.
IndyWales
What can we conclude then? Firstly, that latest polling suggests a vote for Welsh Independence in a referendum would now be above 20%. Secondly, this vote has been continually rising over the past few years.
Thirdly, and crucially, it is likely to increase significantly further if Wales leaves the EU or Scotland leaves the UK, or both, and in the not distant future we may have both situations become a reality.
There have been five new independent nations already since the start of 2000's. By 2020 the chances of Wales joining these nations looks set to increase further.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Audiogator Productions
Christine is a skilled audio engineer and has recorded, produced and directed many projects from music to voice-actor demos to radio and t.v. commercials and film ADR. After training at BCIT and CDIS, Christine has worked as a house engineer in the voice world at many world class studios in Vancouver, BC such as Dick and Rogers, Kozmic Sound, GGRP and Koko Productions. And music sessions working out of Hipposonic Studios, Mushroom Studio, Old Crow Recording, Mountainview Studio, and The Warehouse. Check out her IMDB page here.
Justin Wong
Justin got his training at the Centre for Digital Imaging and Sound and continued his education at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts where he completed his degree in Sound Technology. Justin is an experienced live sound engineer spending most of his time as a Monitor Tech as well as a Front of House Tech at The Vogue Theatre and The Imperial. Working throughout the summers as a Monitor Tech on Festivals for a variety of clients in the Vancouver Lower Mainland, he has run monitors for a huge list of international and local artists. Justin also makes time to be in the studio, recording many genres of music.


text:
Q: Aggregate root circular dependency when data needed for calculation My original design has a domain service that did a lot of work which resulted in an Anemic Domain Model (concepts like BalanceCalculators, AccountServices, etc.). I refactored my design which resulted in Accounts computing the the balance (which is a domain concept).
However, this resulted in me needing to hold a reference to Transactions which led to a circular dependency between Aggregate Roots. So I introduced another concept called an Entry. The idea is that when a transaction is created it will fire off an event TransactionCreatedEvent. From this I can generate an Entry from the transaction and add it to the Account. The Entry class just holds a TransactionID and some metadata that can be used to compute balances of accounts (eventually I will need to extend this account of investment accounts).
However, everything I'm seeing about DDD only has Domain Events being used by the application layer. Am I going about this the wrong way with the expectation that Domain Events should be wired up & used ONLY in the Domain Layer? Additionally, where and how would I wire up an event handler in the domain layer? I think I need to wire a specific account and transaction.
For example, let's say Transaction_1 links Account_1 and Account_2 with a value of $100.00. Entries are created in both Account_1 and Account_2. However, eventually the user modifies the value of Transaction_1 to $1,000.00. I need to let Account_1 and Account_2 that the entry values have changed.
Use Cases
Add/remove an account
Add/remove an account to another account (i.e. subaccounts)
Edit account details such as name
Retreive balance of account
Create transaction
Modify transaction amount, credited account, debited account, date, etc.

Need concept of an investment account as well...

Account.cs
public class Account
{
    public int Id { get; }
    public string Name { get; private set; }

    public enum AccountingType
    {
        Asset,
        Liability,
        Income,
        Expense,
        Equity
    };

    public AccountingType Type { get; private set; }

    public IEnumerable<Account> SubAccounts => _subAccounts;
    public decimal Value => ComputeValue();

    public Account(int id, string name, AccountingType type)
    {
        Id = id;
        Name = name;
        Type = type;
    }

    public void Rename(string newName)
    {
        var oldName = Name;
        Name = newName;
        DomainEvents<AccountRenamedEvent>.Publish(new AccountRenamedEvent(oldName, Name));
    }

    public void ChangeType(AccountingType newType)
    {
        Type = newType;
    }

    public void AddSubAccount(Account account)
    {
        _subAccounts.Add(account);
    }

    public void RemoveSubAccount(Account account)
    {
        _subAccounts.Remove(account);
    }

    public void PostEntry(Entry entry)
    {
        _entries.Add(entry);
    }

    public void RemoveEntry(Entry entry)
    {
        _entries.Remove(entry);
    }

    private decimal ComputeValue()
    {
        var value = 0m;

        foreach (var entry in _entries)
        {
            value += entry.Value;
        }

        foreach (var account in _subAccounts)
        {
            value += account.Value;
        }

        return value;
    }

    private readonly List<Account> _subAccounts = new List<Account>();
    private readonly List<Entry> _entries = new List<Entry>();
}

Entry.cs
public class Entry
{
    public int TransactionId;
    public decimal Value;

    public Entry(int transactionId, decimal value)
    {
        TransactionId = transactionId;
        Value = value;
    }
}

Transaction.cs
public class Transaction
{
    public Transaction(int transactionId, DateTime date, string description, decimal amount, int debitAccountId, int creditAccountId)
    {
        TransactionId = transactionId;
        Date = date;
        Description = description;
        Amount = amount;
        DebitAccountId = debitAccountId;
        CreditAccountId = creditAccountId;

        DomainEvents<TransactionCreatedEvent>.Publish(new TransactionCreatedEvent(TransactionId, Date, Description, Amount, DebitAccountId, CreditAccountId));
    }

    public void ChangeDate(DateTime newDate)
    {
        Date = newDate;

        DomainEvents<TransactionDateChangedEvent>.Publish(new TransactionDateChangedEvent(TransactionId, newDate));
    }

    public void ChangeDescription(string description)
    {
        Description = description;
    }

    public void ChangeAmount(decimal amount)
    {
        Amount = amount;
    }

    public void ChangeDebitAccountId(int newAccountId)
    {
        DebitAccountId = newAccountId;
    }

    public void ChangeCreditAccountId(int newAccountId)
    {
        CreditAccountId = newAccountId;
    }

    public int TransactionId { get; }
    public DateTime Date { get; private set; }
    public string Description { get; private set; }
    public decimal Amount { get; private set; }
    public int DebitAccountId { get; private set; }
    public int CreditAccountId { get; private set; }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I started my early career as a graduate trainee in the hospitality industry. Working on the "front-line" with Imperial Leisure and Mecca Leisure I got a crash-course in delivering excellent service (I have yet to see a better customer satisfaction measurement tool than counting up your tips at the end of a shift!). I then joined an independent marketing agency and spent the next 17 years having the time of my life working in brand strategy, NPD, promotional campaigns and customer insight for clients including Kellogg's, Coco-Cola, Cadbury and Burger King.
I've always been interested in company culture and how this affects people and results. In 2009 I took time out to study for a Masters in Organisational Psychology. In particular I was interested in how creativity benefits organisations, not just in terms of innovation or problem-solving but how it makes work a whole lot more fulfilling (and fun!). It was this research that brought me into contact with TMI and I am thrilled to now be part of such a smart, innovative, fun-loving and incredibly professional community.
I come to every project with a passionate desire to learn more than I did before and to help clients do the same.
With a background in hospitality, marketing and psychology I can contribute at any stage of a project from initial exploration through to design and delivery of a solution. Recently I have been involved in developing a new brand platform for a complex, multi-faceted Pharmaceutical organisation and delivering an intensive programme of skills workshops, also in the healthcare sector.
I consider myself a "learning partner". I come to every project with a passionate desire to learn more than I did before and to help clients do the same. I try to ask questions which challenge "taken-for-granted" thinking. Learning, creativity and change are all part of the same process that begins when we look at things from alternative perspectives. We have to get out of our comfort zone if we want magic to happen!
I am mum to two school-age daughters who are a constant source of challenge and inspiration. After many years successfully avoiding any form of physical exercise I took up running in 2004 and I've become an annoying health nut (sorry Gillian!) I now do regular 10ks and the odd Triathlon!


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Woodgrange Medical Practice and going GREEN!
Click on the following link for more information Green Impact
NO SATURDAY CLINICS
This is to inform our patients that from week commencing 24th June 2019 our Saturday Clinics will NO longer be available until further notice.
This is because the Government has withdrawn funding for this service. You can still however access GP services from 8am to 8pm at the local HUB centres.
You can contact local HUB centre's on 020 7540 9949
Also please note new working hours on Tuesday and Friday.
New vacancies available at WMP!
Click here to see whats available
WMP WINNERS AT NEWHAM OSCARS!
Woodgrange Medical Practice is proud to announce that we won 3 awards at the Newham Primary Care Oscars.
The event was held on 7th September 2018 at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Woodgrange Medical Practice won awards in the following categories:
1. Practice Delivering Excellent Quality of Service
2. Practice Responding to Service User Requests
3. Recognising Contribution of Service Users - won by our PPG Member Caroline Brown
It was a lovely evening and huge achievement for Woodgrange Medical Practice, its service users and our patient participation group.
New Messaging System benefits GP Patients in Newham
People in Newham are to receive texts direct from their GP – giving them immediate access to vital health information – following the introduction of a new clinical messaging system at Woodgrange Medical Practice in Forest Gate.
AccuRx Chain SMS allows GPs to send text messages directly to patients, reducing the need for letters and phone calls and giving patients immediate access to information they need.
Dr Muhammed Naqvi, a GP at the practice and Chair of NHS Newham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: "This is a really efficient way of communicating with our patients. I can directly message my patients, providing instant access to information to help them access screening, provide links to self–help portals that are relevant to their needs and empower them to take charge of their health.
"Not only does using AccuRx mean I can communicate directly with my patients, it is also helping the surgery to become more efficient and better meet the needs of our local population by reducing the need for clinical administrative support – freeing up staff so they can focus on longer more complex tasks.
"This means that rather than having to email practice staff to ask them to contact the patient on my behalf, I can directly contact my patients.
"The practice has already been rated as 'outstanding' by the CQC and we are really excited to be able to continue to develop and improve our services, to enhance the care we provide and the experience for our patients."
Evaluation has shown significant benefits to using this new text messaging approach, with patients no longer having to call or go to the surgery to check if a prescription is ready as they can now be sent a text confirmation instead.
Patients are also sent appointment reminders by text. Over a three-month period, the Woodgrange team – GPs, nurses and admin staff – sent almost 5,000 SMS messages through AccuRx, saving an estimated two hours' clinical and administrative time per day.
Chris Riley, IT Project Manager at Newham CCG, said: "We have been working with all our local GP practices to implement digital innovations, such as AccuRx, in order to deliver a modern GP service that is fit for the future.
"We believe that having surgeries such as Woodgrange championing the introduction of new software helps to maximise its use and fully demonstrate the benefits of a more efficient, technology-driven service. We are committed to continuing to work with local practices to introduce and implement high-quality services for local people.
"We congratulate all of the surgeries across Newham that have now adopted AccuRx as it has taken real commitment to integrate it into daily practice, but is now proving to have significant benefits.
"We will continue to work with and support our local practices to introduce and implement services that allow us to adapt to changing needs of the population we serve."
Nadia Caceres, Health and Social Care Management Trainee at Newham CCG, who has been leading the evaluation on the benefits of AccuRx in primary care practice in Newham, said: "GPs and patients alike have reported the real, tangible difference using direct text messaging has made on a daily basis within general practice in the borough.
"AccuRx has provided a platform to meet the needs of the ever-growing demand for primary care in today's fast-moving, busy world, where quick access to information is vital."
Picture captions: Dr Muhammed Naqvi, a GP at Woodgrange Medical Practice and Chair of NHS Newham CCG, with patient Abdullah Tariq.
A full directory of health and social care services in Newham is available at https://dos.newham.gov.uk/
NHS Newham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) commissions most local health services, from cancer care to mental health, hospital operations to prescriptions.
All GP practices in the borough are part of the CCG. It has a board, which meets regularly, and is chaired by a local GP.
More information about NHS Newham CCG can be found here
For more information contact us on 020 3688 1216 or nelcsu.media@nhs.net
Professor Steve Field head of CQC and Claire Cunden (CQC inspector) visited the Practice on the morning of Tuesday 15th May 2018.
This was not an inspection but a follow up visit on an outstanding rated practice and to see what we have been up to since our inspection in 2016. Many changes have occurred since the inspection and were keen to talk about our recent developments to the Practice and the challenges we face in Newham.
One of our (Patient Participation Group) PPG member also joined the team at Woodgrange to talk about the PPG and the contribution it makes to the Practice.
231 appointments, 5 days worth of consultations wasted! - Costing the practice over £3465 last month!
231 appointments were missed last month! That's nearly 39 hours of wasted appointment time. Equivalent to nearly 5 days' worth of appointments!
These appointments could have provided emergency consultations with a Doctor/Nurse for vulnerable and frail patients.
Not only was this a huge loss of consultation time, it is also an expensive waste; costing the Practice £3465 for November 2018
If you cannot attend an appointment PLEASE cancel it
To formerly join our PPG team please sign up by completing the PPG sign-up form
NEXT PPG MEETING Tuesday 26th November 2019 at 6:30pm
We are a registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre
Please inquire at reception for booking information and fees regarding Yellow Fever.
TRY OUR NEW GP SERVICE ONLINE - CONTACT US ONLINE NOW
Bank Holiday and New Year GP Access details available now
The State of the Medical Practice in the UK 2018
General Practice is under unprecedented pressure due to falling GP numbers, increasingly complex illness, work being transferred from hospitals and young doctors leaving the NHS.
The GMC recently reported on the pressures on Doctor's. Below is an extract from this report:
- A report by the GMC
The professionalism, commitment, and determination of doctors practicing in the UK is second to none. We are delivering good, and often superb, levels of care to our patients, despite the daily pressures we're facing. But findings from this report show the effect that under-resourced systems are having on many of us working on the frontline. It's clear that for some, the costs to well-being and work-life balance are significant, and can't be maintained.
70 years on from the founding of the NHS, we have reached a critical juncture. Long-term and joined up planning is needed to make sure our health services have a workforce with the right skills, in the right places.
This year's report explores the key issues, and examines the strategies that many doctors are employing to cope with the challenges of modern practice.
Extract from the GMC 'State of the Medical Practice in the UK 2018'


Minsi Lake Wilderness Area is a 311-acre park, with hiking trails, picnic areas, woodlands, wetlands and a 117-acre lake for public fishing and boating. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) manages the lake and its dam, spillway and outlet structure. Northampton County Parks & Recreation manages the parkland around the lake. Facilities include two paved boat launches, two parking lots, two picnic areas and two trails. The Lake Trail runs about two miles through the woods around the north side of the lake, connecting the east and west shore parking lots. The Dam Trail is over one-half-mile long and runs from the west shore parking lot through the west shore picnic area and along the dam crest to the spillway at the east end of the dam. Portable toilets are typically available in spring and summer.
Activities: Hiking, fishing, birdwatching, boating (electric motors only), canoeing/kayaking, hunting.
Amenities: Picnic tables & grills, benches, trails, boat launches, boat mooring area, fishing piers. Portable toilets are available from late spring to early fall.
Directions: Lake Minsi, Blue Mountain & East Shore Drives.
Area: 311 acres of parkland, including a 117-acre lake.
Owned by: PA Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) and leased to Northampton County.
Difficulty of Trail: Easy, but wet & muddy in places.
PFBC built Minsi Lake in 1970 for public recreation.
Northampton County has leased the land around Minsi Lake as part of the County Parks System since 1975.
Site of Poliskiewicz Trout Hatchery from 1960-1963.
Environmental Features: Largest lake in Northampton County; extensive woodlands & wetlands; includes part of the largest concentration of vernal pools in Pennsylvania, with rare, threatened and endangered species of plants and animals; glacial geology; East Fork Martin's Creek drains into Minsi Lake. Located within the Minsi Lake Vernal Pools Natural Heritage Area and the Greater Minsi Lake Corridor Greenway.
Established: Minsi Lake was constructed by PFBC in 1970 and first leased to the County in 1975.
The PA Department of Environmental Protection deemed the dam at Minsi Lake structurally deficient and the lake was drained in 2017. Over 5,000 pounds of fish and more than 180 turtles were relocated elsewhere. PFBC has budgeted $4 million to rebuild the dam with a spillway capable of withstanding a maximum flood event. The project is currently scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2019.
The County, Friends of Minsi Lake & PFBC will construct 861 fish and turtle habitat structures at the lake in 2018-'19 to improve the fishery, fishing success and turtle basking habitat.
Realign Lake Trail closer to Minsi Lake.
Future Plans: Replace, renovate and rebuild decades-old park amenities and infrastructure; build new recreation and park facilities; and make Minsi Lake an accessible recreation area for everyone throughout the region—opening up access to all our community members, regardless of their physical abilities.


Knowing God through Jesus is the most important thing. It's why we're here and why we exist.
No perfect people are allowed here. We're authentic about our victories, struggles, joys and sorrows. That means we're a place of grace and forgiveness and a place to come as you are and as you 'really' are.
Jesus said our greatest witness to our community is not our music, building, or programs, but our love for each other. That means we connect in LifeGroups and in accountable and authentic relationships.
God loves us just as we are, but He loves us too much to stay that way. Through the Bible we grow in our faith, our knowledge of God, and our understanding of how to love God and our world. We want everyone to become fully transformed, committed and reproducing Christ followers.
While God's message is sacred, our methods to reach people are not. So things change. We do this because we are missional – we primarily exist for those people God loves and are not yet part of the body of Christ.
Children and youth are highly valued around here and so we invest time and resources for them. It's our vision every graduating senior on the Coastsidewill have heard the message of Jesus Christ.
We reflect the diverse community into which God has placed us. While we may come from different backgrounds, we become one as we worship, serve and grow together.
Each Christ follower at Mariners is responsible for using their spiritual gift, time, energy, and finances for honoring God in ministry. Involvement changes the world and changes you.
To learn more about Mariners and to partner with us, join us for GrowthTrack.


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The Murphy Lab
Press & Outreach
Several members of the lab were able to get together at Lettuce Lake Park for a physically distanced picnic to celebrate Ferhat and Ali finishing up their PhDs (among other exciting life events!). It was great to see (almost) everyone again!
PhD student Ali Al Dasouqi published his second article (and his second to appear this month). The article, titled ""Bursting bubbles and the formation of gas jets and vortex rings" was published in Experiments in Fluids. Congratulations, Ali!
The Murphy Lab had 8 presentations at the 2020 APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (Virtual) meeting this year! See the list below, which included two by undergraduates.
Congrats to PhD student Ali Al Dasouqi, who just published his first article, "Gas escape behavior from bursting bubbles" in Physical Review Fluids as part of a Special Collection of papers coming out of the 2019 Gallery of Fluid Motion. Ali's video associated with this paper made a big splash in the media when he presented it at the APS conference in 2019. Well done, Ali!
PhD student Sanjib Gurung recently published his first article, "Effects of crude oil vapors on the cardiovascular flow of embryonic Gulf killifish" in the journal Science of the Total Environment. Congratulations to Sanjib!
PhD student Ferhat Karakas published his third article today in a special issue of Frontiers in Marine Science. The article is titled "Swimming and sinking behavior of warm water pelagic snails" and has received considerable press attention, with write ups in Science News and SciTechDaily. Congratulations to Ferhat!
PhD student Ferhat Karakas published his second article today in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The article is titled "A novel cylindrical overlap-and-fling mechanism used by sea butterflies" and was featured with a write up in Inside JEB as well. Congratulations, Ferhat!
PhD student Ferhat Karakas successfully defended his dissertation (titled "Swimming of Pelagic Snails: Kinematics and Fluid Dynamics") today! Congratulations, Ferhat!!!
Our research on sea butterfly swimming was highlighted by SciShow, a YouTube channel with over 6 million subscribers! Check out the video below.
Following Dr. Murphy's trip to Palmer Station in November, PhD student Kuvvat Garayev also traveled to Palmer Station, Antarctica to continue our research on krill schooling behavior.
PhD students Ferhat Karakas and Ali Al Dasouqi and postdoc Carlowen Smith traveled to the 72nd Annual APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (DFD) meeting in Seattle, Washington. The opening reception was held at the Museum of Flight, and everyone's presentations went well. Special congratulations to Ali, who won an award for his entry to the Gallery of Fluid Motion (Gas Escape Behavior from Bursting Bubbles) AND was interviewed by Dr. Tom Crawford of Tom Rocks Maths fame on Youtube AND had his research covered by Science Magazine (link here)!
APS DFD 2019
Congratulations to Ali!
Gallery of Fluid Motion Award Winner
Museum of Flight
Dr. Murphy traveled to Palmer Station, Antarctica to research krill schooling behavior in collaboration with Dr. Marc Weissburg and Dr. David Fields. We collected photogrammetric measurements of krills swimming in groups in a specialized flume and took high speed videos of individually swimming krill.
Leaving Punta Arenas
Magellan's Statue in Punta Arenas
Rubbing or kissing Magellan's toe supposedly ensures smooth sailing on Drake's Passage. It didn't work for me!
Undergrad Tristen Mee and Dr. Murphy visited Mr. Daniel Rice's AP Physics class at Middleton High School to talk about biofluid mechanics, bio-inspired design, and life as an undergraduate engineering student. It was super-fun, and the students asked great questions!
The Murphy Lab had a Back-to-School Party to celebrate the start of a new semester. Highlights included fluids-inspired charades and making ice cream!
The Murphy Lab is headed to Antarctica! We were just awarded a new grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate the collective behavior of Antarctic krill. The award is from the Office of Polar Programs and is titled "Collaborative Research: Individual Based Approaches to Understanding Krill Distributions and Aggregations." We will be working with Marc Weissburg at Georgia Tech and David Fields and Nick Record at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. Dr. Murphy and PhD student Kuvvat Garayev will perform this research at Palmer Station in the Nov-Dec time frame of 2019, and Kuvvat will return in 2020 to complete the experiments.
PhD student Kuvvat Garayev, undergrad Josh Arandia, and Dr. Murphy visited our collaborator Amy Maas at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences to continue our research into sea butterfly swimming, to work with Amy and artist Samm Newton on creating a children's book about sea butterflies, and to work with collaborator Margaret Byron on metachronal swimming by ctenophores. It was our fifth trip to BIOS. We collected some great data on the kinematics and hydrodynamics of various sea butterfly species and made some good progress on the children's book, but, unfortunately, no ctenophores were to be found!
Ferry Point Park
On a post-dinner walk out to Ferry Point Park
Nudibranch
A nudibranch we found (and safely returned to the water) at Concrete Beach at BIOS
Diacria trispinosa
A Diacria trispinosa pteropod which performed nicely for the cameras
April 11 & 22, 2019
Dr. Murphy gave a seminar in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Penn State University in early April (hosted by collaborator Dr. Margaret Byron) and a seminar in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Virginia Tech (hosted by collaborator Dr. Olivier Coutier-Delgosha) in late April. It was great to share our work on sea butterfly swimming and tiny insect flight and to see the great work being done in their departments (and to get ice cream at the world-famous Berkey Creamery!).
Ali and Ferhat attended the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Marine Science Fest to tell people about the research we are doing on sea butterflies. They also demonstrated a high speed video camera system to visitors.
Dr. Murphy is awarded a CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation! The award is from the Fluid Dynamics program and is titled 'CAREER: Aerial and Aquatic Flapping Flight at Low Reynolds Numbers." This grant will allow the Murphy Lab to continue investigating flapping 'flight' by swimming sea butterflies and to begin investigating the flight of tiny insects.
Carlowen Smith and Dr. Murphy traveled to New Orleans to attend and present at GOMOSES, the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science conference.
Ferhat Karakas and Dr. Murphy traveled to Canada to attend and present at the 5th Microscale Ocean Biophysics meeting in snowy Whistler, B.C.
Ferhat at his poster
Snowtubing!
Whistler, B.C.
A view from the gondola
We had our second annual lab holiday lunch! Petra Restaurant did not disappoint!
We published our first paper which is entirely a product of the Murphy Lab. Congrats to Ferhat for his new paper in the Journal of Experimental Biology, titled 'Using a shell as a wing: pairing of dissimilar appendages in atlantiid heteropod swimming!' The paper was featured with a writeup in Inside JEB as well!
The Murphy Lab traveled to Atlanta, GA for the 71st Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics (APS DFD). It was a great conference. The opening reception was held in the Georgia Aquarium, and everyone's presentations went well.
Dr. Murphy and Ferhat Karakas visited our collaborator Amy Maas at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences to research sea butterfly swimming. We collected data on the kinematics and hydrodynamics of sea butterflies. It was our fourth trip to BIOS. The weather cooperated with us reasonably well at the beginning of this trip, and we were able to collect animals three times for experiments. High winds kept us on land towards the end of the trip, so we visited a flooded underground cave system!
Ferhat and Amy
The research vessel leaves the dock in the background
Dr. Murphy's Biological Fluid Mechanics class and lab group took a class trip to visit the Keys Marine Lab in Layton, FL. We had a guest lecture from Dr. Aditya Nayak of FAU about particles in the ocean, went on a snorkeling trip to see the various swimming modes we had discussed in class, and used micro-Particle Image Velocimetry to look at how copepods swim. Thanks to the Florida Institute of Oceanography for supporting this educational experience through a shiptime proposal!
Biofluids Class
Keys Marine Lab
Dr. Murphy, Ferhat, Ali, and Daniel traveled to the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) to again work with collaborator Dr. Amy Maas and to begin work with Dr. Margaret Byron at Penn State and Dr. Damian Grundle at BIOS. We worked on several projects using the unique access to 'critters' that BIOS offers. We studied the propulsion of various sea butterfly species using a cutting-edge, high speed particle tracking velocimetry system (Shake-The-Box PTV - Thanks to LaVision for loaning us the software!). We also studied metachronal swimming in ctenophores and mantis shrimp and began preliminary experimental lab work on how oil slicks may affect air-sea gas transfer under the influence of rainfall. It was a jam-packed two weeks!
Pictures from BIOS Research Trip - May 2018
PTV Setup
Ctenophore
Studying metachronal swimming in ctenophores and mantis shrimp with Dr. Margaret Byron
The USF Crew
Ali, Daniel, Ferhat, and Dr. Murphy
Sanjib and Dr. Murphy visited collaborator and developmental biologist extraordinaire Ben Dubansky at the University of North Texas. We spent two days taking high speed footage of the blood flow in embryonic Gulf Killifish as we investigate how exposure to crude oil affects their physiology. Thanks to Ben for the tweet!
Daniel Olsen and Dr. Murphy visited the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Marine Science Fest to tell folks about our work on sea butterfly swimming. It was great to show our high speed videos to the public, educate people about these amazing little critters, and represent USF!
It's been a busy two weeks of travel! Dr. Murphy attended the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science (GOMOSES) conference in New Orleans and then traveled to Portland, Oregon to present work on sea butterfly swimming at the 2018 Ocean Sciences Meeting.
Welcome to Kuvvat Garayev and Sanjib Gurung, our two new PhD students, and Ahmet Topcuoglu, who is finishing up his MS this semester and will transition to the PhD program in the fall!
Dr. Murphy and Ferhat Karakas gave presentations on the kinematics and fluid dynamics of sea butterfly swimming at the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics conference in Denver, CO.
One of our videos of sea butterfly swimming from our recent research trip to Bermuda was featured on the Discovery Channel show 'The Daily Planet!' Here is a link to the segment.
Dr. Murphy and graduate student Ferhat Karakas just returned from a second research trip to the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences. Working with Amy Maas, we collected data on the swimming of ctenophores, mantis shrimp, and various pteropod species. We also were joined by our NAKFI-sponsored artist-in-residence, Samm Newton, who is creating art to help interpret our data for the public. Samm also took some great photos of the research trip.
Dr. Murphy was part of a successful proposal recently announced by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative. The project, Turbulent Vertical Mixing and the Formation of Oil Particle Aggregates: LES, Measurements and Modeling, is led by PI Andres Tejada-Martinez of the USF Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
The Murphy Lab welcomes its second PhD student, Ali Al Dasouqi. Ali is finishing his MS in Mechanical Engineering here at USF this semester. Welcome!
The GOMRI website has two recent stories highlighting our work:
Aeppli and Murphy Awarded National Academies' Gulf Research Program Fellowships
Study Assesses How Chemical Dispersant Affects Oil Plume Behavior
Dr. Murphy was selected for an Early Career Research Fellowship by the National Academies of Science Gulf Research Program. The awards aim at "supporting the development of future generations of scientists, engineers, and health professionals prepared to work at the intersections of energy system safety, human health and well-being, and environmental stewardship in the Gulf of Mexico and other U.S. coastal regions."
Dr. Murphy was part of three successful proposals recently announced by the National Academies of Science Keck Futures Initiative (NAKFI) as part of the 'Discovering the Deep Blue Sea' conference held in Fall 2016. The three proposals are:
Swimming across Scales: Metachronal Rowing in the Deep Blue Sea (with Margaret Byron at Penn State)
Swimming in Sea Butterflies: Physics, Physiology, Ecology, Art, and Design Inspiration for an Aquatic Micro-Aerial Vehicle (with Amy Maas at BIOS)
Creating Resilience: Building a Gulf of Mexico NAKFI Alumni Working Group (with Brandon Ballengee and others)
Dr. Murphy presented a poster at the International Oil Spill Conference in Long Beach, CA. The poster was titled "Development of an In Vitro Exposure System for Live Visualization of the Health Impacts of Oily Marine Aerosol on the Human Respiratory System."
Dr. Murphy, graduate student Ferhat Karakas, and undergraduate student Joseph Bello traveled to the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) to work with our collaborator Dr. Amy Maas. We collected high speed video and flow measurements of the swimming behavior of various pteropod species.
Pictures from BIOS Research Trip
Looking back towards the island on our first trip to collect animals
Sunset on the last night of the trip
A view from the BIOS dock before we set sail to collect animals
Dr. Murphy was awarded a New Researcher Internal Grant, which will fully fund a research trip to collect preliminary data with a new collaborator at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences.
Dr. Murphy was awarded a Grant-in-Aide by the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS). The award will partially fund a research trip to BIOS to collect preliminary data on sea butterfly swimming.
The lab welcomes its first graduate student, Ferhat Karakas! Ferhat joins us after earning an MS in Aerospace Engineering from the Istanbul Technical University. Welcome!
at the University of South Florida
© 2019 by David W. Murphy


A team of Public Services students were deployed to the National Public Services Competition.
They were tested and challenged physically and mentally. This included high rope assault courses, drill and field craft, they also had the unusual task of learning how to cook a squirrel from start to finish.
The competition took place over two days and students displayed the qualities that are essential to the public services.
They swept to victory taking first place in the Royal Marine Fitness Challenge, third place in orienteering and crime scene investigation.
Do you love a challenge? Check out our Public Services courses.


Effective January 1, 2014, anyone filing a Fictitious Business Name Statement, Abandonment, or Withdrawal in person must present a valid government-issued identification, such as a driver's license, state-issued identification card, or passport.
Fictitious Business Names Statements are filed at the Clerk-Recorder's office in person or by mail.
California State law (Business and Professions Code section 17910) requires that every person, partnership, corporation, or other association, who regularly transacts business in California for profit under a Fictitious Business Name, file a statement with the County in which the principal place of business is located. Part of the filing requirement is that the statement be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the County in which the business is located.


Otolaryngology is the branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders. A commonly used term for this specialty is ENT (ear, nose and throat).
Tonsillectomy is the surgical removal of the tonsils. Tonsils are glands located on both sides of the opening to the throat) that serve as protection against infections. When the tonsils become enlarged or inflamed, they can cause infections in the throat and the ear and can obstruct breathing. Enlarged adenoids (lymphatic tissue located in the back of the throat) can also obstruct breathing and can be removed at this time (called an adenoidectomy). An ear, nose and throat surgeon (ENT) performs the operation, usually in an outpatient setting.
Ear tube insertion is a procedure to drain fluid that has built up behind a child's eardrums. The purpose of the procedure is to restore the normal functioning of the ear.
Rhinoplasty surgery involves repairing or reshaping the nose. Surgery may be performed to reduce or increase the size of the nose, to change the shape, to narrow the opening of the nostrils, correct a birth defect and/or injury or relieve breathing problems.
Septoplasty is an operation that corrects any problems in the wall (nasal septum) that separates the two sides of the nose.
In endoscopic sinus surgery, an endoscope is inserted into the nose, providing the doctor with an inside view of the sinuses. Surgical instruments are inserted alongside the endoscope. This allows the doctor to remove small amounts of bone or other material blocking the sinus openings and remove growths (polyps) of the mucous membrane. In some cases a laser is used to burn away tissue blocking the sinus opening. A small rotating burr that scrapes away tissue may also be used.
Thyroidectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid gland. A thyroidectomy can be used to correct conditions such as hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid function), thyroid cancer, and nontoxic goiter. The surgery is performed by a surgeon while the patient is under general anesthesia. Most patients leave the hospital in one or two days after the surgery.


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C. Pignataro
N. Akiya
Big Switch Networks
Seamless Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (S-BFD)
for IPv4, IPv6, and MPLS
This document defines procedures for using Seamless Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (S-BFD) in IPv4, IPv6, and MPLS environments.
2. S-BFD UDP Port ..................................................2
3. S-BFD Echo UDP Port .............................................3
4. S-BFD Control Packet Demultiplexing .............................3
5. Initiator Procedures ............................................3
5.1. Details of S-BFD Control Packets Sent by SBFDInitiator .....4
5.1.1. Target versus Remote Entity (S-BFD Discriminator) ...4
6. Responder Procedures ............................................5
6.1. Details of S-BFD Control Packets Sent by SBFDReflector .....5
Acknowledgements ...................................................8
Contributors .......................................................8
Authors' Addresses .................................................8
Seamless Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (S-BFD) [RFC7880] defines a generalized mechanism to allow network nodes to seamlessly perform continuity checks to remote entities. This document defines necessary procedures for using S-BFD in IPv4, IPv6, and MPLS environments.
The reader is expected to be familiar with the IP [RFC791] [RFC2460],
BFD [RFC5880], MPLS BFD [RFC5884], and S-BFD [RFC7880] terms and
protocol constructs.
2. S-BFD UDP Port
A new UDP port is defined for use by S-BFD in IPv4, IPv6, and MPLS environments: 7784.
In S-BFD Control packets from the SBFDInitiator to the SBFDReflector, the SBFDReflector session MUST listen for incoming S-BFD Control packets on port 7784. SBFDInitiator sessions MUST transmit S-BFD Control packets with destination port 7784. The source port of the S-BFD Control packets transmitted by SBFDInitiator sessions can be any port, with one exception: it MUST NOT be 7784. The same UDP source port number MUST be used for all S-BFD Control packets associated with a particular SBFDInitiator session. The source port number is unique among all SBFDInitiator sessions on the system.
In S-BFD Control packets from the SBFDReflector to the SBFDInitiator, the SBFDInitiator session MUST listen for reflected S-BFD Control packets at its source port.
3. S-BFD Echo UDP Port
The BFD Echo port defined by [RFC5881], port 3785, is used for the S-BFD Echo function in IPv4, IPv6, and MPLS environments. SBFDInitiator sessions MUST transmit S-BFD Echo packets with destination port 3785. The setting of the UDP source port [RFC5881] and the procedures [RFC7880] for the S-BFD Echo function are outside the scope of this document.
4. S-BFD Control Packet Demultiplexing
S-BFD Control packet demultiplexing follows the procedure specified in Section 7.1 of [RFC7880]. A received S-BFD Control packet MUST be demultiplexed with the destination UDP port field.
This procedure for an S-BFD packet is executed on both the initiator and the reflector. If the port is 7784 (i.e., an S-BFD packet for the SBFDReflector), then the packet MUST be looked up to locate a corresponding SBFDReflector session based on the value from the Your Discriminator field in the table describing S-BFD Discriminators. If the port is not 7784 but the packet is demultiplexed to be for an SBFDInitiator, then the packet MUST be looked up to locate a corresponding SBFDInitiator session based on the value from the Your Discriminator field in the table describing BFD Discriminators. In that case, the destination IP address of the packet SHOULD be validated to be for itself. If the packet demultiplexes to a classical BFD session, then the procedures from [RFC5880] apply.
5. Initiator Procedures
S-BFD Control packets are transmitted with an IP header, UDP header, and BFD Control packet ([RFC5880]). When S-BFD Control packets are explicitly label switched (i.e., not IP routed and forwarded over a Label Switched Path (LSP), but explicitly sent on a specific LSP), the former is prepended with a label stack. Note that this document does not make a distinction between a single-hop S-BFD scenario and a multi-hop S-BFD scenario; both scenarios are supported.
The necessary values in the BFD control headers are described in [RFC7880]. Section 5.1 describes necessary values in the MPLS header, IP header, and UDP header when an SBFDInitiator on the initiator is sending S-BFD Control packets.
5.1. Details of S-BFD Control Packets Sent by SBFDInitiator
Specifications common to both IP-routed S-BFD Control packets and explicitly label-switched S-BFD Control packets:
The Source IP Address field of the IP header MUST be set to a local IP address that is expected to be routable by the target (i.e., not an IPv6 link-local address when the target is multiple hops away).
The UDP destination port MUST be set to a well-known UDP destination port assigned for S-BFD, i.e., 7784.
The UDP source port MUST NOT be set to 7784.
Specifications for IP-routed S-BFD Control packets:
The Destination IP Address field of the IP header MUST be set to an IP address of the target.
The TTL / Hop Limit field of the IP header SHOULD be set to 255.
Specifications for explicitly label-switched S-BFD Control packets:
S-BFD Control packets MUST have the label stack that is expected to reach the target.
The TTL field of the topmost label SHOULD be 255.
The destination IP address MUST be chosen from the 127/8 range for IPv4 and from the 0:0:0:0:0:ffff:7f00:0/104 range for IPv6, as per [RFC5884].
The TTL / Hop Limit field of the IP header MUST be set to 1.
5.1.1. Target versus Remote Entity (S-BFD Discriminator)
Typically, an S-BFD Control packet will have the Your Discriminator field corresponding to an S-BFD Discriminator of the remote entity located on the target network node defined by the destination IP address or the label stack. It is, however, possible for an
SBFDInitiator to carefully set the Your Discriminator and TTL fields to perform a continuity test in the direction towards a target, but destined to a transit network node and not to the target itself.
Section 5.1 intentionally uses the word "target" instead of "remote entity" to accommodate this possible S-BFD usage through TTL expiry. This also requires that S-BFD Control packets not be dropped by the responder node due to TTL expiry. Thus, implementations on the responder MUST allow received S-BFD Control packets taking a TTL expiry exception path to reach the corresponding SBFDReflector session. This is an existing packet-processing exception practice for Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) packets, where the control plane further identifies the type of OAM by the protocol and port numbers.
6. Responder Procedures
S-BFD Control packets are IP routed back to the initiator and will have an IP header, UDP header, and BFD control header. If an SBFDReflector receives an S-BFD Control packet with a UDP source port of 7784, the packet MUST be discarded. Necessary values in the BFD control header are described in [RFC7880]. Section 6.1 describes necessary values in the IP header and UDP header when an SBFDReflector on the responder is sending S-BFD Control packets.
6.1. Details of S-BFD Control Packets Sent by SBFDReflector
The Destination IP Address field of the IP header MUST be copied from the Source IP Address field of the received S-BFD Control packet.
The Source IP Address field of the IP header MUST be set to a local IP address that the initiator expects to be visible (i.e., not an IPv6 link-local address when the initiator is multiple hops away). The source IP address SHOULD be copied from the Destination IP Address field of the received S-BFD Control packet, except when it is from the 127/8 range for IPv4 or from the 0:0:0:0:0:ffff:7f00:0/104 range for IPv6.
The TTL / Hop Limit field of the IP header MUST be set to 255.
The UDP destination port MUST be copied from the received UDP source port.
The UDP source port MUST be copied from the received UDP destination port.
Security considerations for S-BFD are discussed in [RFC7880]. Additionally, implementing the following measures will strengthen security aspects of the mechanism described by this document:
Implementations MUST provide filtering capability based on source IP addresses of received S-BFD Control packets; see [RFC2827].
Implementations MUST NOT act on received S-BFD Control packets containing source Martian IP addresses (i.e., addresses that, by application of the current forwarding tables, would not have their return traffic routed back to the sender).
Implementations MUST ensure that response S-BFD Control packets generated by the SBFDReflector and sent to the initiator have a reachable target (e.g., destination IP address).
A new port number value, 7784, was allocated from the "Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry". The allocated registry entry is:
Service Name (REQUIRED)
s-bfd
Transport Protocol(s) (REQUIRED)
Assignee (REQUIRED)
IESG <iesg@ietf.org>
IETF Chair <chair@ietf.org>
Description (REQUIRED)
Reference (REQUIRED)
Port Number (OPTIONAL)
[RFC5880]  Katz, D. and D. Ward, "Bidirectional Forwarding Detection
(BFD)", RFC 5880, DOI 10.17487/RFC5880, June 2010,
(BFD) for IPv4 and IPv6 (Single Hop)", RFC 5881,
[RFC7880]  Pignataro, C., Ward, D., Akiya, N., Bhatia, M., and S.
Pallagatti, "Seamless Bidirectional Forwarding Detection
(S-BFD)", RFC 7880, DOI 10.17487/RFC7880, July 2016,
[RFC791]   Postel, J., "Internet Protocol", STD 5, RFC 791,
DOI 10.17487/RFC791, September 1981,
[RFC2827]  Ferguson, P. and D. Senie, "Network Ingress Filtering:
Defeating Denial of Service Attacks which employ IP Source
Address Spoofing", BCP 38, RFC 2827, DOI 10.17487/RFC2827,
May 2000, <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2827>.
[RFC5884]  Aggarwal, R., Kompella, K., Nadeau, T., and G. Swallow,
"Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) for MPLS Label
Switched Paths (LSPs)", RFC 5884, DOI 10.17487/RFC5884,
June 2010, <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5884>.
The authors would like to thank the BFD WG members for helping to shape the contents of this document. In particular, significant contributions were made by the following people: Marc Binderberger, Jeffrey Haas, Santosh Pallagatti, Greg Mirsky, Sam Aldrin, Vengada Prasad Govindan, Mallik Mudigonda, and Srihari Raghavan.
The following are key contributors to this document:
Tarek Saad, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Siva Sivabalan, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Nagendra Kumar, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Carlos Pignataro
cpignata@cisco.com
Dave Ward
wardd@cisco.com
Nobo Akiya
Email: nobo.akiya.dev@gmail.com


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A woman in Hanoi allegedly hired a man to cut off her hand and foot in what is believed to be an attempt to scam an insurance company out of nearly VND4 billion ($180,000), local police said Tuesday.
Ly Thi N., 30, faked a railway accident to make a claim three months ago, police in Bac Tu Liem District said.
On May 5 Doan Van D., 21, reported to the police that a woman had been injured in a railway accident in Bac Tu Liem.
At the scene, the police found N. with her left hand and left foot severed.
She told the police she had been wandering near the railway track when a train that went by "dragged" her in.
D., a stranger, happened to be on the spot and saw the accident, she said.
Doan Van D. signs a statement at a police station in Hanoi. Photo: CAND.
However, the police later found out that N. and D. knew each other.
After further investigation, they established that N. had paid D. VND50 million to hack off her hand and foot and fake the accident to make the insurance claim.
A source told Thanh Nien that N. had incurred losses in her business and bought a large insurance policy.
The police said they are investigating further to decide what charges to bring against the duo.
Doctors reattached N.'s severed hand and foot, but had to remove them four days later after gangrene set in.


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Every boss likes selection headaches and every player wants to play.
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text:
Q: Opening and reading an excel .xlsx file in python I'm trying to open an excel .xlsx file with python but am unable to find a way to do it, I've tried using pandas but it's wanting to use a library called NumPy I've tried to install numpy but it still can't find numpy.
I've also tried using the xlrd library but I get the following traceback:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\test.py", line 3, in <module>
    book = open_workbook('test.xlsx')
  File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\xlrd\__init__.py", line 370, in open_workbook
    biff_version = bk.getbof(XL_WORKBOOK_GLOBALS)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\xlrd\__init__.py", line 1323, in getbof
    raise XLRDError('Expected BOF record; found 0x%04x' % opcode)
XLRDError: Expected BOF record; found 0x4b50

Which I assume is because XLRD can't read .xlsx files?
Anyone got any ideas?
EDIT:
import csv
with open('test.csv', 'rb') as csvfile:
    data = csv.reader(csvfile, delimiter=',')
    for row in data:
        print "------------------"
        print row
        print "------------------"
        for cell in row:
            print cell

A: it seems that you are on a Linux Distro. I had the same problem too and this does not happen with "xlwt" library but only with "xlrd". what I did is not the right way to solve this problem but it makes things work for the time being to hopefully have an answer to that question soon ;I have installed "xlrd" on Windows and took the folder and pasted it on Linux in the directory where my python code is and it worked.

A: Since I know other people will also be reading this -
You can install the following module (it's not there automatically)
https://pypi.python.org/pypi/openpyxl
You can read the following to get a nice breakdown on how to use it
https://automatetheboringstuff.com/chapter12/

A: Maybe you could export your .xlsx to a .csv file?
Then you could try:
import csv
with open('file.csv','rb') as file:
    contents = csv.reader(file)
    [x for x in contents]

This may be useful:
http://docs.python.org/2/library/csv.html#csv.reader
Hope that helps!
EDIT:
If you want to locate a spectific cell, such as F13, you could make a nested list like a matrix and them refer to each element:
import csv
with open('file.csv','rb') as file:
    contents = csv.reader(file)
    matrix = list()
    for row in contents:
        matrix.append(row)

And then access F13 with matrix[5][12].
P.S.: I did not test this. If "row" is a list with each cell as an element, you keep appending all lines to the matrix, so the first index is row number and the second is the column number.


Rebecca Walker Chan, Sustainability Advisor, The Purpose Business, argues that while new communication tools and channels can give sustainability reports more impact and relevance to their audience, the fundamentals for successful sustainability reporting remain the same.
Since 2016, publicly traded companies in Hong Kong have been required to supply a report to The Hong Kong Stock Exchange about their approach to managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects of their business. Why? Annual updates on ESG performance help stakeholders better understand how a company measures, manages and communicates how it conducts its business. With the aim of increasing transparency, sustainability reports enable companies to take stock of their operations, set goals and manage change more effectively.
These reports are published annually and where a company fails to make a required disclosure it must explain why. As a result, thousands of ESG or sustainability reports have been written and even more man-hours have been put into these annual disclosures. Depending on a company's attitude to the value of non-financial reporting, this annual requirement has become either a blessing or a curse. For those who have a wider sustainability strategy, reporting is simply part of managing progress and transparency, and it has obvious value. For those who are doing it for pure compliance, it quickly becomes an extracurricular activity with little-to-no resources allocated to it and a burden.
Writing a good sustainability report – one that goes beyond compliance, is part of a wider corporate strategy, and is valued beyond box ticking – is a product of a concentrated and collaborative effort to assess and communicate ESG topics with stakeholders. This becomes an add-on to an already full docket of responsibilities for in-house staff who may not have the training or educational background to know how to collect and analyse environmental data, engage stakeholders and write a comprehensive report. Considering all this effort, who even reads these sustainability reports?
Regulators care about transparency and ESG information has become increasingly important to smart and purposeful investors. Simultaneously, the expectations of stakeholders for more regular and accessible information through various channels is changing. Yet companies are not reaching target stakeholders. Based on feedback from several stakeholder engagement exercises; it is clear that some stakeholders read selected sections of a report and only a few read the reports in full upon their annual release (or even after). A lot of time, money and effort goes into the reporting process, yet if companies fail to discuss the important and relevant ESG issues, stakeholders lose interest.
All your stakeholders should be able to find something relevant to them in your full report. After all, ESG reporting is intended to provide a balanced view of all of business impacts. However, it is not fair nor right to bundle audiences into single stakeholder groups. An employee may also be an investor, an environmental activist, a community member and a customer simultaneously. By carefully considering who the report is for, the intended messages can be crafted accordingly. Ideally, this does not mean first deciding that the report is for investors or employees and then loading the content to fit that group. Instead it means deeply analysing the data and developing your story, and then discerning which audience will make the most from it and channeling it their way. For example, an investor might be more keen to read about governance and risk management, whereas a young consumer might be more interested in employee engagement and a local charity might want to learn more about community investment initiatives.
This is where some purposeful and directed communications and better understanding of stakeholder's interests come in handy and can be used for a greater impact. For ESG reporting to be made as important as any other business reporting, it has to come in a format and channel suitable to its audience.
The current trend is to adjust the format of your sustainability report, along with the style and frequency of reporting. In recent years, more companies have turned to online publishing, which helps save paper and can enable cross-website referencing and sharing. Other innovations include sustainability dashboards with real-time data and using social media to share ESG messages. There is definitely a value for reporters to adopt these new channels and move towards more frequently updated web-based reporting. Technology-enabled integrated reporting allows businesses to explore and benefit from the interconnections between the strategic and economic performance side of operations and the socio-environmental aspects at the same time. This can enable 'living reports' where data is updated regularly, offering real-time data and transparency that is stakeholder driven.
A key point in sustainability communications – as with all things sustainability-related – is that transparency builds trust. Companies in Hong Kong should be engaging stakeholders with messages about their environmental and social impacts, and taking part in a multi-party dialogue that promotes continuous responsible growth year on year. Sharing ambitions, direction and challenges demonstrates authenticity, as well as providing more opportunities to engage and learn from stakeholders. It helps to build stronger communications and can strengthen reputation beyond an ESG report. This involves creating multiple compelling narratives for a range of audiences that are authentic and can be adapted and positioned for new and evolving communications channels, such as social media.
By understanding stakeholders, a company can more easily create content that resonates – millennials are more likely to watch and engage with a YouTube video than read a PDF. The more visibility the better, but the content of your reporting needs to share responsible practices, commitments, successes and failures. Used positively and proactively, social media can be useful for communicating progress. In this age of constantly updated and always available information, it seems reasonable that sustainability reports be shared across a range of platforms. This can be a big ask, however, particularly in places where many corporate communications and marketing teams still don't seem to grasp how risky a poorly thought out campaign can be. Effective use of social media channels requires a clear strategy, constant content updates, creative engagement techniques and a support team to field user comments and questions. It is unlikely that most social media account managers are adequately knowledgeable about greenhouse gas emissions, water reduction initiatives or the impact of community engagement efforts to effectively keep stakeholders informed.
Sustainability reporting is a measurement tool that should inform company strategy by creating a link between disclosures and performance and continued growth. Hong Kong companies tend to wait until something is complete, boxed and gift-wrapped for perfect delivery before they talk about it. However, ESG reports should be an open-handed invitation to readers where they are given a glimpse of the company's purpose. It is an opportunity for companies to prove to their stakeholders that they deserve to stay in business by sharing an introspective view of what matters most. This means progressing beyond compliance-based reporting, this means taking responsibility for poor performance and it means continually raising the bar year by year. The style and format of the report matter far less than the content. But embracing new communications tools and approaches can give your report more impact and relevance for your audience – and that makes the future of reporting exciting.
More information is available on The Purpose Business website: http://thepurposebusiness.com.
In Hong Kong, most sustainability reports need to adhere to the environmental, social and governance reporting guidelines issued by The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (the Exchange). Many companies base their reporting on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, which overlap with and expand on the Exchange's requirements. Beyond these, other frameworks such as the UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework, CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), and the newly launched Financial Stability Board's Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures all encourage the integration of non-financial metrics into financial reporting.
This array of reporting frameworks has caused some confusion in the market. To help address this, the Corporate Reporting Dialogue has been established to respond to market calls for greater coherence, consistency and comparability between corporate reporting frameworks, standards and related requirements. This effort should create better alignment in the corporate reporting landscape and make it easier for companies to prepare effective and coherent disclosures that meet the information needs of capital markets and society.
The art of corporate reporting has changed dramatically over the last decade. This article has looked at some of the new communication channels and formats that sustainability teams may consider using to improve the exposure and impact of their reports. It is important, however, not to lose sight of the fundamental value proposition of sustainability reporting.
Below we suggest some essential questions for sustainability teams to consider when developing their next report.
What is the use of the report and what value can you pull from the reporting process?
Who are your main readers or audience?
What is it about your company that they are most interested in?
What are you comfortable disclosing now and will you continue to be comfortable disclosing it in the future (because once it's out there you cannot retract it)?