In today’s hyper competitive markets, no company can coast on its reputation and hope to survive. Unfortunately, innovation is one of the hardest things for a company to promote, achieve, and maintain. It’s a challenge akin to knowing the unknowable and succeeding at the impossible.
There are no sure-fire ways to produce innovative products, services, and processes. There are, however, tools that create the conditions necessary to foster breakthroughs. An ERP is one of them, and its ability to usher in the new is significant. If your company is struggling to find the “next big idea,” discover how an ERP can aid your search.
Eliminate Gaps in Understanding
Without an ERP, your data is likely separated by department and only accessible to authorized members. That means insights that could prove to be essential are kept behind a locked door for all but a few. An ERP opens up these doors and gathers all your data into one expansive and cross-connected repository. Once your team has easy access to any and all relevant information there is the strong potential for unexpected discoveries to present themselves.
Promote Self Scrutiny
A good ERP vendor will work in collaboration with you to customize your product to meet your business needs and workflows. During this process, businesses are forced to take a hard look at how they do things and how well those practices actually work. Forward-thinking companies use the implementation process to abandon what’s broken and improve what’s working. In the wake of the implementation, they haven’t just gained a new piece of technology, rather, they’ve gained a smarter and better way of operating.
Act in Real Time
Innovation is often a matter of seizing the right moment. When you have a cloud-based ERP in place, everyone on your team is working with the most accurate and up-to-date information available. Even if a change is made by a remote sales professional on the other side of the world, the update is integrated into the system immediately. Having the most current and therefore relevant information at your disposal enables your enterprise to make swift, confident decisions rather than being paused by uncertainty.
Boost Collaboration
The ingredients for innovation are likely already present in your organization. You simply need to find a way to combine them to make a sum greater than its parts. An ERP is as much a collaboration tool as a data-management tool because it invites everyone to contribute to just about every project. Great ideas that may have languished in obscurity before are now brought into the spotlight.
Take Advantage of Special Skills
An ERP automates, streamlines, and optimizes many of the most time and labor intensive workflows your team is tasked with. Once the drudgery and distraction of these tasks is removed from their list of responsibilities, they can focus on what they really do best: selling, strategizing, organizing, managing, motivating etc. Your team can spend more time doing what you hired them to do and less time on administrative work designed to maintain the status quo. Once people are free to be their best, the conditions are ripe for innovation to follow.
Innovation is about more than simply doing things differently. It is fundamentally about doing things better. If you want to make an improvement rather than just a change, an ERP is your greatest asset.
A CNN/ORC poll taken after the first presidential debate found that 62% of voters who had watched the head-to-head thought that Hillary Clinton came out on top, with just 27% giving it to Donald Trump.
Photo Getty Images
This is based on interviews with 521 registered voters chosen as part of a random national sample. However, only 26% identified themselves as Republicans while 41% identified themselves as Democrats.
An informal CNBC poll on its website found that 61% of people thought that Donald Trump won while 39% went for Hillary Clinton, but as CNBC itself points out, the poll is not scientific – anyone, including people outside the United States, appears to be able to vote.
A post-debate survey by Public Policy Polling of 1,002 debate-watchers found that 51% of national voters thought Hillary Clinton had won, with 40% choosing Donald Trump and 9% undecided.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have clashed over jobs, terrorism and race in the first presidential debate.
The attacks turned personal as the Republican accused Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton of not having the right temperament to be president.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton baited Donald Trump by pointing out that he refuses to release his tax returns.
The first presidential debate in New York could be the most watched debate in TV history, with up to 100 million viewers.
Hours before the CNN program, polls suggested the candidates were locked in a dead heat, adding to the tension between the rivals on stage throughout the debate.
Image source Wikimedia
“I have a feeling that by the end of this evening, I’m going to be blamed for everything that’s ever happened,” Hillary Clinton quipped when prompted to respond to one of Donald Trump’s attacks.
“Why not?” Donald Trump interrupted.
“Yeah, why not,” Hillary Clinton answered.
“You know, just join the debate by saying more crazy things.”
Donald Trump was later thrown on the defensive by moderator Lester Holt for not disclosing his tax returns.
The billionaire claimed he was under a “routine audit” and would release the document once the audit was finished.
However, Donald Trump promised he would release them if Hillary Clinton released 33,000 emails that were deleted during an investigation into her private email set-up while secretary of state.
Hillary Clinton made a brief response to Donald Trump’s attacks about her use of a private email server – which has haunted her on the campaign trail.
She said there were no excuses for the “mistake” and that she takes responsibility for it.
Hillary Clinton was also uncomfortable when defending her changing position on the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.
One key exchange was over Donald Trump’s long-held belief that President Barack Obama was born outside the United States, a position he finally reversed two weeks ago.
“He has a long record of engaging in racist behavior,” Hillary Clinton said, adding that it was a “very hurtful” lie that annoyed and bothered the first African American president.
When asked by Lester Holt to explain his change in stance, Donald Trump said he wanted to concentrate on bigger, more important issues.
Hillary Clinton attacked Donald Trump for praising Russian President Vladimir Putin, and suggesting he “find” her emails.
“I was so shocked when Donald publicly invited Putin to hack into Americans. That is just unacceptable… Donald is unfit to be commander-in-chief.”
The September 26 debate was the first of three between the two candidates.
The first of three presidential debates takes place on Monday night, September 26.
There will be six segments of about 15 minutes, each on a different topic.
Moderator: NBC anchor Lester Holt
Venue: Hofstra University on Long Island, New York;
Start time: 9PM EDT.
At the start of each segment, the two candidates will have two minutes each to respond, then they will respond to each other.
Three of the topics already announced, and selected by Lester Holt, are: America’s Direction; Achieving Prosperity and Securing America, which risk sounding more like the slogans of banks than debate topics.
Three more questions related to events in the news this week will also be scheduled.
Ex-IMF chief Rodrigo Rato and 64 other bankers have gone on trial in Madrid over an alleged credit card racket at Spain’s troubled Bankia bank.
The defendants allegedly used “unofficial” company credit cards for luxury purchases, unconnected with their duties as board members.
Prosecutors say about €12 million ($13.5 million) was spent on hotels, fine clothes, entertainment and travel.
Rodrigo Rato denies wrongdoing. Bankia was rescued in 2012 at huge public expense.
Image source Wikipedia
The unofficial credit card purchases were not declared to the tax authorities. The system allegedly started at Caja Madrid bank and was continued by Rodrigo Rato when Bankia was created in 2011.
A member of the governing center-right Popular Party (PP), Rodrigo Rato resigned as head of Bankia shortly before its near-collapse in 2012.
The government bailout of Bankia inflicted losses on 200,000 small investors, who held preferential shares in the bank.
Some of them voiced their anger outside the Madrid courthouse on September 26.
“You wretches! Stealing money from pensioners!” they shouted at the accused as the trial got under way.
Prosecutors are seeking four-and-a-half years in jail for Rodrigo Rato and six years for Miguel Blesa, the former president of Caja Madrid, a bank that was merged with six others in 2011 to create Bankia.
If found guilty, Rodrigo Rato could also face a €2.7 million fine, while Miguel Blesa could face a fine of €9.3 million.
Rodrigo Rato headed the IMF from 2004 to 2007. He also served as Spanish economy minister, and his fall from grace helped fuel accusations that the Popular Party was riddled with corruption.
Prosecutors say the lavish credit card purchases took place from 2003 to 2012 – some of them during Spain’s financial crisis, when millions of citizens suffered hardship and unemployment soared.
Rodrigo Rato’s two successors at the top of the IMF have also been caught up in high-profile court cases.
French Socialist Dominique Strauss-Khan took over from Rodrigo Rato in 2007 but resigned in May 2011 to defend himself against charges of attempted rape in New York. Prosecutors dropped the charges later that year, then DSK reached an out-of-court settlement with the hotel maid who accused him.
DSK’s successor at the IMF, Christine Lagarde, is to go on trial in France in December over a state award of €285 million in damages to tycoon Bernard Tapie when she was finance minister.
Christine Lagarde is accused of “negligence”, but denies any misconduct.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are to face each other in their first TV debate.
The two presidential candidates will take to the stage in New York on September 26.
The duel at Hofstra University could be the most watched debate in TV history, with 100 million viewers.
There are 43 days until the November election, with polls suggesting Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has a narrow lead nationally.
Controversy has marked the debate build-up after Donald Trump said he might invite a woman who had an affair with Bill Clinton in the 1970s.
The Republican tweeted on September 24 that he would perhaps ask Gennifer Flowers to sit in the debate audience, in response to Hillary Clinton having invited Trump critic Mark Cuban.
Gennifer Flowers initially said she would attend but Donald Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, said on September 25 she was not coming and the suggestion was not a serious one.
Photo CBS Newsllary
The debate at 21:00 local time will last 90 minutes and is being moderated by NBC news anchor Lester Holt.
It is the most hotly anticipated event so far in a long election campaign, partly due to the contrasting styles of the two candidates.
Donald Trump marched to a stunning win in the Republican primaries against vastly more experienced political opponents, he hurled personal insults and made suggestive remarks on the debate stage.
Hillary Clinton, with decades of experience in politics, usually relies more on a firm and detailed policy grasp, but has problems portraying authenticity and spontaneity.
Observers predict the audience could be as high as that for the Super Bowl and surpass the 80 million who watched Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan debate in 1980.
Three of the topics for the six segments of the debate have already been announced – America’s Direction, Achieving Prosperity and Securing America – but three others, based on events in the news, will be asked during the debate.
In the past week, both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have focused on the response to fatal police shootings of African-American men in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as the ensuing protests.
Golf legend Arnold Palmer has died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the age of 87.
He was viewed as one of the greatest players in golf’s history.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Arnold Palmer died at the UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he was undergoing heart tests.
The United States Golf Association also confirmed Arnold Palmer’s death in a tweet calling him “golf’s greatest ambassador”.
During a long career Arnold Palmer won more than 90 tournaments worldwide, including seven majors.
Image source Flickr
Arnold Palmer attracted thousands of diehard fans known as “Arnie’s Army” and helped to promote the game into the television age.
“Today marks the passing of an era,” said Alastair Johnston, CEO of Arnold Palmer Enterprises.
“Arnold Palmer’s influence, profile and achievements spread far beyond the game of golf. He was an iconic American who treated people with respect and warmth, and built a unique legacy through his ability to engage with fans.”
Tributes to the sporting legend flooded in from the world of golf.
President Barack Obama tweeted a picture of himself with Arnold Palmer at the White House, adding: “Here’s to The King who was as extraordinary on the links as he was generous to others. Thanks for the memories, Arnold.”
Arnold Palmer was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, in 1929, the son of a groundskeeper at the local country club who later became the professional at the golf club there.
He was one of golf’s most dominant players in the late 1950s and early 1960s, winning seven major titles over seven seasons.
A new referendum in Switzerland has approved a law on new surveillance powers for the intelligence agencies.
The law would allow the authorities to tap phones, snoop on email and deploy hidden cameras and bugs.
According to supporters, the new law would help Switzerland catch up with other countries.
Opponents have feared it could erode civil liberties and put Swiss neutrality at risk by requiring closer co-operation with foreign intelligence agencies.
Some 65.5% of voters agreed to accept the proposal. The new law will allow the Federal Intelligence Service and other agencies to put suspects under electronic surveillance if authorized by a court, the defense ministry and the cabinet.
The Swiss government says the powers would be used about once a month to monitor the highest-risk suspects.
The new law was not comparable to the spying capabilities of the US or other major powers, which “go well beyond what is desired in terms of individual liberty and security for our citizens”, Defense Minister Guy Parmelin said earlier this year.
According to a government website, Swiss law currently prevents authorities from relying on anything more than publicly available information or tips from foreign officials when monitoring domestic threats.
The new surveillance law was passed last year but has not yet been enacted after opponents collected enough signatures to force a referendum under Switzerland’s system of direct democracy.
On September 25, Swiss voters also rejected a proposal to boost state pensions by 10% – an initiative supported by the left but considered too costly by opponents. Voters also rejected another initiative to reduce Switzerland’s ecological footprint.
Your wedding is a special day to spend with your spouse reaffirming your love for each other and committing to a lifelong partnership. You can celebrate it however, you feel it is most appropriate. If you are not the big grand wedding type and prefer a small intimate ceremony for close family and friends, there are a couple of Minnesota wedding venues that could work great for you.
Countryside lodges
Countryside lodges are the best place to escape the hustle and bustle of the cities and enjoy a small intimate wedding with your close family and friends. The drive away from the city can land you in a serene environment that combines the best of nature and a homey lodge where you can enjoy a quiet moment with the ones you love. In the land of a thousand lakes, there are plenty of lakeside lodges where you can have a lakeside wedding enjoying the lake breezes and the canopy of lush trees.
Exclusive Hotel Ballrooms and Domes
If you do not want to make the commitment of going too far out of town, there are plenty of hotels in the major cities where you can find exclusive rooms to hold your wedding reception. These hotels provide plenty of seating and affordable menus to ensure your guests are well entertained during your reception.
Small restaurants outside city limits
Stepping outside the city is the best way to find Minnesota wedding venues that are suitable for a small group. Just a couple mile drives outside of the city and you can find restaurants and small inns that specialize in hosting small and intimate wedding receptions. These restaurants can hold wedding parties with as little as fifty guests while making the event special and memorable. You can search for the small Inns and restaurants just outside the city limits for the best quotes for wedding ceremonies.
Yacht clubs
You can decide to take your small wedding party on a Yacht too. For a nautical themed wedding, a yacht is a perfect way to host a few guests away from the prying eyes of the public. You can ask for the yacht to be taken to a perfect little spot on the lake here you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding cities and towns. For the best experience, have a late afternoon to evening wedding when the city lights illuminate the horizon.
Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez has died in a boat crash at the age of 24.
According, the US Coast Guard Jose Fernandez was one of three people killed in the crash on September 25, off Miami Beach, Florida.
The baseball team said it was “devastated”. Marlins’s home game against the Atlanta Braves on September 25 was canceled.
Jose Fernandez was born in Santa Clara, in Cuba, and defected to Florida when he was 16, after three failed attempts. He made his debut for the Marlins in 2013.
Image source Wikipedia
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Todd Garofalo told local news station WSVN: “They found a boat that was up against the jetties. They did do an initial search and they found three victims – two on top of the water, one underneath the boat and they had unfortunately passed away.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the 32-foot vessel had a “severe impact” with large rocks that form part of the jetty.
According to officials, Jose Fernandez was not wearing a life vest at the time of the crash.
The names of the other two individuals are being withheld until their relatives can be informed, the Coast Guard said.
Jose Fernandez shared a picture on Instagram five days ago which appears to show his girlfriend Carla Mendoza pregnant.
The caption reads: “I’m so glad you came into my life. I’m ready for where this journey is gonna take us together. #familyfirst.”
The Major League Baseball organization released a statement saying it was “stunned and devastated” by the news.
Jose Fernandez was the club’s first-round draft pick in 2011 and was finishing up on his finest season in the major league, the Miami Herald reported.
A fifth person has died following a mass shooting at the Cascade Mall in Burlington, Washington, police say.
The suspected gunman is still at large.
Police have released a picture of the gunman, who fled armed with a rifle.
The Cascade Mall and nearby shops, located in Burlington, near Seattle, were evacuated and police have asked the public to stay away. The reason of the attack is not clear.
Image source Washington State Patrol
Police described the suspect as a “Hispanic male wearing grey”.
The man was seen heading towards the Interstate 5.
Washington State Patrol spokesman Mark Francis said the fatalities had taken place inside Macy’s department store.
Sgt. Mark Francis confirmed the death of a fifth victim, a man, on September 24. The other four were women.
He said the gunman had left the scene before police arrived and was last seen walking towards a highway.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee, said the shooting was a tragedy.
“We urge residents to heed all safety and detour warnings. Stay close to your friends and loved ones as we await more information and, hopefully, news of the suspect’s capture.”
Emergency management officials have told residents to stay inside with their doors locked and avoid the area near the Cascade Mall. Drivers are being urged to keep nearby major roads clear.
The FBI, which is assisting in the investigation, says there is no evidence that further attacks are planned in Washington State.
President Barack Obama is due to open Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington DC.
The $540 million museum would “tell a story of America that hasn’t always taken a front seat”, President Obama said.
On September 23, the president said it would also educate Americans about the history of the racial tensions seen during protests over police killings of black men.
The latest have engulfed two cities, Charlotte and Tulsa.
Image source Wikipedia
“As a people, we’ve rightfully passed on the tales of the giants who built this country,” Barack Obama said during his weekly address to the American people.
“But too often, willfull or not, we’ve chosen to gloss over or ignore entirely the experience of millions upon millions of others.”
He added: “And so it is entirely fitting that we tell this story on our National Mall, the same place we tell the stories of [President George] Washington and [President Thomas] Jefferson and our independence.”
The bronze-colored museum, designed by British architect David Adjaye, is located on Washington’s National Mall – not far from the White House.
The museum contains 36,000 items, ranging from trade goods used to buy slaves in Africa to a segregated railway car from the 1920s and a red Cadillac convertible belonging to rock’n’roll pioneer Chuck Berry.
Black veterans of the US Civil War first proposed an African-American museum in 1915. Congress approved its creation in 2003, and construction of the 37,200 sq m building took almost four years.
The Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture ‘s opening is being celebrated with three days of festivities, including concerts by artists such as rap group Public Enemy and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Shanghai’s Taian Table restaurant has closed down a day after being awarded a Michelin star, reportedly because it lacked the necessary licenses to operate.
The restaurant, which opened in April and served Western dishes, was described by Michelin as “graceful” and praised for its “clever recipes”.
However, neighbors living above the restaurant had complained of kitchen smoke and noise.
Taian Table – one of 26 restaurants in Shanghai to gain a star in the guide’s first China edition – said it would relocate.
Image source City Weekend
It said in a statement: “Our idea and concept was to build a small place to entertain our friends and to have some foodies and chef friends around to create new and imaginative dishes.”
Taian Table added that it had never intentionally violated any rules.
It apologized to diners who had booked tables and said it was moving to bigger premises and would apply for all required licenses.
Residents told AFP they had petitioned to have the restaurant closed down.
“The noise is always there, with the stereo subwoofer vibrating. It’s so hot where we live, but we can’t open our windows,” said Zhang Fuzhen, who lives in the building.
Taian Table offered a 14-course menu and a 10-course menu, reportedly priced at 1,288 yuan ($193) and 988 yuan, including dishes such as grilled endives, lobster and Wagyu beef.
The restaurant was run under the direction of German chef Stefan Stiller, who has previously opened a series of restaurants in Shanghai.
Snapchat has launched Spectacles, the company’s first gadget – sunglasses with a built-in camera.
Spectacles will go on sale later this year priced at $130.
The glasses will record up to 30 seconds of video at time.
As part of the announcement, Snapchat is renaming itself to Snap, Inc.
Image source Snapchat
The company’s renaming decision underlined its apparent ambition to go beyond the ephemeral messaging app, a product which is highly popular with young people.
An article published by the Wall Street Journal on September 23 showed Snap’s 26-year-old creator Evan Spiegel in a series of pictures taken by legendary fashion photographer Karl Lagerfeld.
In an interview, Evan Spiegel explained his rational for creating Spectacles.
“It was our first vacation, and we went to [Californian state park] Big Sur for a day or two. We were walking through the woods, stepping over logs, looking up at the beautiful trees.
“And when I got the footage back and watched it, I could see my own memory, through my own eyes – it was unbelievable.
“It’s one thing to see images of an experience you had, but it’s another thing to have an experience of the experience. It was the closest I’d ever come to feeling like I was there again.”
On September 24, Snap released some limited information about how the glasses will work.
Footage will be recorded in a new, circular format which can be viewed in any orientation, the company said. The battery on the device will last around a day.
A light on the front of the device will indicate to people nearby when the glasses are recording.
Prior to confirmation from Snap about the product, Business Insider published a promotional video it found on YouTube showing the product. The video has since been taken down.
Spectacles will remind many of Google Glass, an ill-fated attempt by the search giant to create smart glasses.
While Google Glass did get into the hands of developers around the world – at a cost of $1,500 each – the device never came close to being a consumer product. Google eventually halted development, but insisted the idea was not dead.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Snap is not treating Spectacles as a major hardware launch, rather a fun toy that will have limited distribution.
Four women are dead and a man critically injured after a mass shooting at a shopping center in Burlington, Washington.
Washington police are hunting for a “Hispanic male” wearing a black T-shirt armed with a rifle who opened fire in the shopping mall near Seattle.
The Cascade Mall and nearby shops have been evacuated and police have asked the public to stay away. The motive for the attack is not clear.
Image source Washington State Patrol
The suspect was seen heading towards the Interstate 5.
Washington State Patrol spokesman Mark Francis said the fatalities had taken place inside Macy’s department store.
Emergency medical teams had entered the shopping mall “to attend to injured” and people were being evacuated to a nearby church, he said.
Mark Francis said the gunman had left the scene before police arrived and was last seen walking towards a highway.
Emergency management officials have told residents to stay inside with their doors locked and avoid the area near the Cascade Mall. Drivers are being urged to keep nearby major roads clear.
The FBI, which is assisting in the investigation, says there is no evidence that further attacks are planned in Washington State.
A video showing the moment Keith Lamont Scott was shot dead by a police officer in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been made public.
The moment was captured on video by Keith Lamont Scott’s wife, who can be heard pleading with officers: “Don’t shoot him!”
In the footage, Rakeyia Scott tells her husband to get out of his car as Charlotte police surround him.
The video does not show the actual shooting, or make clear if Keith Lamont Scott was carrying a gun, as police say.
Officers can be heard urging the black man to “drop the gun” but his wife is heard telling them he is unarmed.
On September 23, a few hundred protestors took to the streets, but the demonstrations was smaller than on the previous three nights.
They chanted “No justice, no peace” and “Release the video” – a call for the police to release their dash-cam and body-cam images of the incident.
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory has declared a state of emergency in the city, and a midnight curfew has been imposed for a second night running, after rioters looted businesses and threw objects at police on September 20 and 21.
Unnamed police sources told local media and CNN a gun found at the scene was loaded and had Keith Lamont Scott’s fingerprints and DNA on it. But the police have said nothing officially.
Charlotte city leaders have been under mounting pressure to release their footage of this week’s shooting.
Hillary Clinton joined the chorus, adding: “We must ensure justice and work to bridge divides.”
Her campaign team had said the Democratic presidential candidate would visit Charlotte on September 25, but later announced the visit was being postponed until October 2 after discussion with community leaders “as to not impact the city’s resources”.
In the clip, an officer is heard shouting: “Hands up!”
Image source Facebook
Keith Lamont Scott cries: “Don’t shoot him. Don’t shoot him. He has no weapon. He has no weapon. Don’t shoot him.”
An officer says: “Don’t shoot. Drop the gun. Drop the gun.”
Rakeyia Scott says: “He doesn’t have a gun. He has a TBI [Traumatic Brain Injury]. He just took his medicine.”
Family lawyers have previously said Keith Lamont Scott suffered head trauma in a car accident last year.
Seconds later shots ring out in the clip, and Keith Lamont Scott rushes forward shouting: “Did you shoot him? He better not be dead!”
Keith Lamont Scott – a 43-year-old father-of-seven – was fatally shot in an apartment complex car park on September 20 by police who were searching for another person wanted for arrest.
There are conflicting accounts of his death – police say Keith Lamont Scott was armed and that a pistol was recovered at the scene; his family says he was holding a book.
His mother, Vernita Scott Walker, told South Carolina broadcaster WCSC he was probably reading the Koran.
She said he read the Islamic holy book every day, often while waiting for his son to get off the bus.
“That’s what he was reading because he loved to read that book,” said Vernita Scott Walker.
At a press conference on September 23, officials defended their refusal to release body-cam and dash-cam video of the shooting.
Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts told reporters: “I do believe the video should be released – the question is on the timing.”
She said the video was “inconclusive” as to whether Keith Lamont Scott was holding a gun.
City Police Chief Kerr Putney said the video alone does not provide sufficient evidence of probable cause for the shooting.
Releasing it without “context” could only inflame the situation, he added.
Critics have accused Charlotte authorities of a lack of transparency, compared with the swift action taken after a police shooting in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Officer Betty Shelby has been charged.
Charlotte police said they arrested a suspect in September 21 fatal shooting of a protester, Justin Carr, in the city.
The alleged gunman was identified as Rayquan Borum.
Pallets are an important element of every business that transports goods. They are readily available in different materials such as plastic, wood and steel. Wood pallets, however, are cheaply available and most people prefer purchasing wood over other materials due to its economical price. Still, wood pallets can be useful as well as harmful in many cases, yet they’re famous around the globe as goods-storage containers.
Here are, at a glance, some pros and cons of using wood pallets:
Pros
Many people consider picking wood pallet for the shipment of trade goods due to the following reasons;
Cheap
Wood pallets are available at surprisingly lower prices compared to other materials like metal and plastic. Anyone who needs low quality containers that can be reused is probably going to stick with wood pallets as they are a great option for cutting down shipment costs.
Durable and Robust
You may feel that the low price doesn’t justify quality but that’s not true. Wood pallets are robust and durable, and capable of easily carrying heavy weights.
Easily Repaired
Usually wooden pallet tend to last 1-2 shipments, after which then you may notice damages in the structure. But those damages can be easily repaired by hammering small nails. Above all, you don’t need any professional to do that; it can be easily done on your own and they are instantly ready for further use.
Recyclable
Wood pallets can also be used for projects other than shipping once they’re retired after a couple of shipments. You don’t need any special practice to recycle them; all it takes is a little creativity to use them as flower beds, tables and fences.
Have Advanced Friction on Surfaces
Wood pallets are less likely to slip due to high friction against all surfaces which means your products are secured in a container and won’t easily slip or move around.
Cons
Along with these many benefits come a few drawbacks of wood pallets, depending on how you use them;
Highly Vulnerable to Bacterial Growth
Wood pallets can get easily contaminated and may not be appropriate for food storage purposes if they are being reused. Some bacteria are reported to be found in wood pallets like salmonella and E. coli that can prove fatal to people who consume food products stored or transported in those pallets.
Likelihood of Fungal Development
Wood pallets cannot stand moisture at all and they’re likely to develop fungus if kept damp for a long period of time.
Difficult to Clean
The rough surfaces of wood pallets make them prone to collecting dirt and stains that are not easy to clean, especially in the corners.
Are you looking into hotel lobby lighting that will perfectly suit the ambiance of your resort accommodations? Yellow Goat Designs has a reputation for stunningly beautiful lighting pieces and aesthetics, and they have just the light or lamp to bring your hotel to a whole new level.
Crystal Lighting Creations
Who isn’t impressed by stunningly bright and serene crystal lighting structures that light up the room with grace and elegance? If your hotel accommodations have a reputation for being elite and high-class, think about incorporating a crystal chandelier or hanging pendant lamp in your lobby. It will provide a fantastic first impression as well as add height and grandness to the lobby area. Crystal lights perfectly complement granite or marble tabletops and counters, shiny floors, and lobby pianos and accent mirrors. In fact, a crystal lamp from Yellow Goat Designs could be the finishing touch your hotel or resort needs to make a lasting impression on guests!
Efficiency and Allure
Hotel lobby lighting can be whatever you want it to be, and at Yellow Goat Designs, you can have exactly what you want. The professionals are accustomed to offering high quality designs and alluring aesthetics that can match the exact vibe that you’re going for. Bring more elegance and class to your hotel lobby with grand circular chandelier lighting made of ornate and stunning crystals. As guests enter the hotel lobby, they will glance up to see the marvelous sight above their heads. The hanging lighting pieces will dazzle before their eyes and set a tone of grandeur and let guests know that they have chosen an elite accommodation. The soothing circular shapes add movement and rhythm while also bringing everything full circle and uniting the overall space.
Bold and Vibrant Colors
Even if you don’t have an eye for spatial intelligence and aesthetics, allow the specialists at Yellow Goat Designs to walk you through the selection process. Besides offering grandiose chandeliers and hanging crystal lights, they also offer pieces in vibrant and brilliant colors. If you are looking to add some pizzazz and excitement to your lobby, think about adding one or two of these glittering and colorful lights to the mix. They are available in a wide range of shapes and designs, such as arboreal motifs, heavenly orbs, beautiful domed structures, and more. Yellow Goat Designs have everything you want and need to elevate your hotel lobby lighting game and impress your guests at first glance. Get started today by giving us a call!
There are many different types of drug treatment programs with varying methods and success rates. Holistic treatments for drug dependency are among the healthiest and most effective methods of treatment, according to many studies. These treatments focus on mind and body to treat chemical dependencies, rather than flooding the body with harmful prescription drugs. The following is a list of the most popular types of holistic drug treatments.
Nutrition Based Therapy
Many drug addicts and alcoholics have a very poor diet, which creates massive vitamin deficiencies in their bodies. This is due in part to the addicts being consumed by their drug habits and not focusing at all on the foods they put into their bodies. By focusing heavily on the patient’s nutritional health during rehab, you can improve the patients’ health substantially.
The increased nutritional intake has also been shown to curb some of the common side effects associated with drug withdrawal such as nausea and lethargy. Many nutrition based therapies also use a healthy dose of supplements to eliminate deficiencies in the addict’s body. The reason that potent supplements are needed is because the addict is usually very malnourished. Usually, a doctor will be able to prescribe various multivitamins and individual supplements to speed up the recovery process.
Meditation and Regular Exercising
Most of the time, the mind of an addict is overrun with thoughts of stress and worry about different situations they have been involved in. The presence of overwhelming amounts of stress can be just as bad for a patient’s health as the drug addiction itself. Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and anxiety are just a few of the major side effects of too much stress.
The implementation of universal life energy or other relaxing types of meditation can do wonders for a recovering addict’s state of mind. Generally, after an addict begins to get off of the drugs, they still have major lifestyle hurdles to overcome in order to stay sober. By using Yoga to focus their mind, they can overcome these hurdles with a clear mind and often times with far less stress. These types of exercise and meditation regiments are designed to get the addict’s mind of off the craving for drugs and on to healthier things.
Using Acupuncture or Massage
Studies have shown that massage can be a great way for a recovering addict to let go of stress. Massages are shown to calm your thoughts and your body at the same time, which makes them a great holistic treatment for stressed out former drug users. Being able to calm their nerves and letting them remove them from their situation, albeit temporary, can have a large effect on the addicts success rate.
Did you know that the use of acupuncture dates back more than 4,000 years to the times of ancient China? This is a treatment that involves the placement of thin, sterile needles into certain parts of a person’s body. This will help to manipulate and balance the flow of energy in a person’s body. There are quite a few studies that have found when you take the time to find the best acupuncture Edmonton clinic, you may even be able to increase the chances that you will conceive a child.
The Way Acupuncture Affects Fertility
Oriental medicine has been used for thousands and thousands of years to enhance a woman’s chances of getting pregnant. It provides a method of working to balance the energy throughout the entire body. This is essential to have a healthy body that will be fertile. If your body is in balance, it will also be able to function at a superior level, which means that the organs will be properly working, that you can sleep restfully and that your body will be resistant to a number of common illnesses. Also, your body will be able to recover more easily from various injuries and the reproductive capacity you have will be totally functional. The fact is, there are a number of different reasons that this balance may be interrupted.
If an imbalance in this energy takes place, then you may experience a number of symptoms, which include infertility. When you receive acupuncture treatment, the imbalances can be completely eliminated and the symptoms that result from the imbalance will be removed. There are quite a few studies that have even proven that acupuncture can effective increase the likelihood you will conceive a child.
What You Should Expect During Treatment
The first thing to understand is that the use of needles by an acupuncturist is not the same as how a traditional doctor will use needles. The ones that are used for this treatment are extremely thin and much smaller than what is used for injections and drawing blood. In fact, the needles are only slightly thicker than your hair. In the majority of situations, you will not even be able to feel the needles or where they are being placed. Once they are in the proper place, you will begin to feel extremely relaxed – completely free from pain.
Without a doubt, IVF can be a serious source of stress for many people. With acupuncture, you can experience a reduction in your stress level and may even be able to easily conceive a child. This will be beneficial in the long run.
So you’ve just been offered a job! That’s fantastic news! But are you sure it is the right job for you? It is very important to consider the job offer in detail before you dive in head first. If you get too excited and take the first job offer, you might end up regretting it. And that could result in you starting your job search all over again!
So to make sure you only say ‘yes’ to your perfect job, here are some important points to consider before accepting it.
Should You Negotiate More?
Don’t forget that you are totally within your right to continue negotiating the job offer until you sign on the dotted line. Are you sure the salary that they are offering you is enough for the position? You can get more information by checking Knowledge First Financial reviews. It might also be worth asking for a few more holiday days each year. Another point that many people negotiate on is their work environment. If the new contract is for five full days in the office, see if you would be able to work from home for one day a week instead.
The Stability Of The Job
There is no point joining a company if they end up closing their doors in a couple of month’s time. If possible, try and find out as much as you can about how well the company is currently performing. Another horrible scenario would be being made redundant only a few weeks after starting. So be sure to read your new contract thoroughly. If you don’t seem to have any job security written into it, you might have a reason to worry about the stability of the job.
Think About Health And Safety
Are there any possible health risks you will face from working in this position? If so, you need to make sure that your new employers will provide you with all the correct safety equipment. If you are going to work in a loud environment, make sure that your company will give you suitable hearing protection. Is your new position in a construction company? Then it could worth finding quality mesothelioma representation. They can help you claim compensation should you fall ill from asbestos exposure.
Most companies will offer various benefits to try and attract top quality employees. But do all these benefits fit with your current needs and lifestyle? If you are planning on starting a family soon, then you will be better off finding a company with excellent maternity benefits. It might be worth looking elsewhere if your job offer doesn’t come with ample maternity leave. When you are offered a new job, you should be given plenty of information on all the company benefits. Read through them thoroughly so that you understand everything you will be entitled to in your new role.
Once you have considered all the above points, you can then make a decision. Does it all look good? Then you can say ‘yes’ to the job!
The Secret Service is looking into a “cyber breach” after what appeared to be a scan of First Lady Michelle Obama’s passport was published online.
The hacking group DC Leaks posted on its Twitter account this morning what appears to be a scanned copy of Michelle Obama’s passport, along with several White House staffers’ private communications.
The scan appeared to have been taken from a Gmail account belonging to a White House employee, a spokesman said.
Photo Getty Images
Other confidential information was published online, including travel details, names, social security numbers and birth dates of members of staff.
The White House said it had not yet verified the documents.
DCLeaks.com, the hacker group which last week published personal emails from an account belonging to former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s emails, claimed responsibility for the hack.
US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the incident was “something that we are looking into”. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the breach “should be a wake-up call for all of us”.
Josh Earnest said that the employee targeted by the hackers was a contract worker and not a permanent member of staff.
He said: “At this point I cannot announce any sort of conclusion that’s been reached about the individual or individuals that may have been responsible for the cyber breach that resulted in this information being leaked.”
The Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the President and First Lady, said it was “concerned” about the apparent hacking.
“The Secret Service is concerned any time unauthorized information that might pertain to one of the individuals we protect, or our operations, is allegedly disclosed,” said communications director Cathy Milhoan.
The city of Charlotte, North Carolina, has been rocked by protests for a third night after African-American Keith Lamont Scott was shot dead by a black police officer on September 20.
September 22 protest was largely peaceful after violence a day earlier during which one person was fatally shot.
Keith Lamont Scott’s family dispute police allegations he was armed and want video recording to be released.
Excessive police force used against black men has been the subject of protests for two years across the US.
Image source Facebook
On September 20, Keith Lamont Scott was killed in Charlotte after police say he refused to drop a gun he was carrying. His family say he was unarmed and holding a book.
Police have released a video of the shooting to the family, but have refused to make it public.
The family’s lawyer, Justin Bamberg, said no gun was visible in the video and Keith Lamont Scott appeared to be “acting calm”.
“You do see something in his hand, but it’s impossible to make out from the video what it is.”
Police chief Kerr Putney said the video proved the shooting was justified, telling Fox news: “The officer perceived his failure to comply with commands, failure to drop the weapon and facing the officers as an imminent threat.”
On September 22, demonstrators protesting against Keith Lamont Scott’s death defied a curfew put into force by the city’s mayor on the same day – running from midnight to 06:00.
Cpt. Mike Campagna said officers did not enforce the curfew as protests were largely peaceful, with some on the street singing gospel songs.
However, Charlotte police reported two officers were injured.
Hundreds of National Guard troops were deployed on the streets of Charlotte to protect the city against further violence and property damage.
It followed September 21 protest during which protesters smashed windows of hotels and restaurants, set fires, and attacked reporters.
Peaceful demonstrations took place in the aftermath of last week’s shooting in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
On September 22, Officer Betty Shelby was charged with manslaughter for shooting unarmed African-American Terence Crutcher.
Prosecutors said Betty Shelby’s decision to shoot Terence Crutcher was “unreasonable”.
Video of the Tulsa incident shows Terence Crutcher with his hands up, leaning against the car.
Betty Shelby said Terence Crutcher had not followed her commands and she had opened fire when he began to reach into his car window.
As well as being shot, Terence Crutcher was also struck with a stun gun by another officer.
Betty Shelby’s lawyer, Scott Wood, has said she believed Terence Crutcher was under the influence of the synthetic drug PCP. A vial of the drug was found in the car.
Terence Crutcher’s family have disputed Betty Shelby’s claim, arguing that his window was closed at the time of the incident.
Police have said no gun was found on Terence Crutcher or inside his vehicle.
The DoJ has also opened a separate investigation to see if Terence Crutcher’s civil rights were violated.
Officer Betty Shelby faces a minimum of four years in prison.
After the charge, a small group of demonstrators gathered in Tulsa to demand a harsher sentence.
The FBI has said it is deciding whether to pursue and investigate an alleged incident regarding Brad Pitt and his children while travelling on a private jet last week, Variety reports.
It was “continuing to gather facts” and would evaluate whether an investigation at the federal level would be pursued
Angelina Jolie filed for divorce on September 19 citing irreconcilable differences.
She has asked for physical custody of the couple’s six children, asking the judge to give Brad Pitt visitation rights.
Image source Wikipedia
The LA Times reported that the FBI had been informed of “a child welfare incident” involving Pitt on an international flight last week by a law enforcement source who was not authorized to discuss the matter. It said that the incident involved “unruly behavior” and that the Los Angeles county department of children and family services was conducting an investigation.
The LAPD denied that it was conducting an investigation into Brad Pitt, and said that to the best of its knowledge, no allegations had been made against him.
The alleged incident is believed to have taken place on September 14, on a private jet flying from France to Los Angeles.
Brad Pitt released a statement to People magazine after Angelina Jolie filed for divorce, saying he was “saddened”, and adding: “What matters most now is the well-being of our kids. I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time.”
Angelina Jolie’s lawyer, Robert Offer, said the decision to divorce had been made “for the health of the family”.
Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services said it could not confirm or deny whether it was investigating Brad Pitt because of confidentiality laws.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt married in 2014, having been together for a decade. They have six children together.
