Poland’s President Andrzej Duda contracted the virus in October and went into self-isolation.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has spent two months in hospital in Germany after catching the disease in October – last week he appeared in video for the first time since testing positive, saying he hopes to return to Algeria soon.
Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei tested positive in September – despite calling himself “high-risk” he did not appear to suffer a severe case.
President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro,tested positive in July and spent more than two weeks quarantining in his residence.
In June, the outgoing President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, died of an illness suspected by many to be Covid-19.
Russia’s PM Mikhail Mishustin contracted the virus in April and was admitted to hospital with moderate to severe symptoms.
UK PM Boris Johnson tested positive in March – he spent three nights in intensive care in a London hospital, later saying he owed the health workers there his life.
Vice-President Mike Pence has received the coronavirus vaccine live on TV.
He told the audience and doctors: “I didn’t feel a thing.”
According to the White House, the aim of the move was to “promote the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and build confidence among the American people”.
Mike Pence’s wife and Surgeon General Jerome Adams also received the jab at the televised White House event.
On December 14, the US began rolling out the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
The Pfizer vaccine is the first to be approved in the US. It offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19.
The first three million vaccine doses are being distributed to locations across the 50 US states.
Meanwhile, a second vaccine, developed by Moderna, has come a step closer to receiving emergency approval after it was endorsed by a panel of experts.
As Mike Pence was receiving his vaccine, President Donald Trump incorrectly said on Twitter that the Moderna vaccine was “overwhelmingly approved” with “distribution to start immediately”. It is still awaiting final approval from the FDA.
More than 310,000 people have died with coronavirus in the US, which has recorded more infections and fatalities than any other country. More than 17 million cases have been recorded in the country since the start of the pandemic.
VP Pence, 61, received the first of two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab at 08:00 local time, along with his wife Karen and Dr. Adams. He is the most senior US official to be vaccinated so far.
He said: “We gather here today at the end of a historic week to affirm to the American people that hope is on the way.”
“Karen and I were more than happy to step forward before this week was out to take this safe and effective coronavirus vaccine that we have secured and produced for the American people,” he continued, calling it “a truly inspiring day”.
Top infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, and CDC Director Robert Redfield were in the audience to observe the doctors from Walter Reed hospital perform the injections.
Both men elbow-bumped Mike Pence and his wife after their jabs. President Trump did not attend the event.
Dr. Fauci said in brief remarks: “We want virtually everyone eligible to get this vaccine ultimately.
“By the time we get to several months into this [coming] year we will have enough people protected that we can start thinking seriously about the return to normality.”
Earlier this week, President Trump reversed a plan for senior members of his administration to be among the first to receive the vaccine “unless specifically necessary”.
The president, who contracted coronavirus in October and recovered after hospital treatment, said he was not scheduled to take the jab but looked forward to doing so “at the appropriate time”.
Many of his support base have doubts about the efficacy and safety of vaccines.
President-elect Joe Biden, who at 78 is in a high-risk group from Covid-19, is expected to be vaccinated next week.
The practice of medicine focuses on anticipating and reducing risk based on current and historical patient data. Medical professionals historically have made decisions that don’t always have clear, certain outcomes, but with advances in new technologies, this is beginning to change.
Predictive analytics helps clinicians and medical professionals determine the likelihood of events and outcomes before they happen so that health issues can be more effectively prevented and treated. The algorithms used in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) provide historical and real-time data that help users make meaningful predictions. Predictive algorithms support clinical decision making for individual patients, show interventions on a population level, and can be applied to operational and administrative challenges.
Predictive analytics is a branch of advanced analytics that uses current data and historical data to model forecasts about the likelihood of future outcomes in business processes. The best predictive analytics tools make it easy to gain predictive insights and actionable insights that improve business intelligence. Built-in data science with linked views and one-click predictions simplify the predictive analysis with custom visualizations and predictive models that give real-time results. Easy access to machine learning (ML) algorithms trains data to produce accurate predictions and insights for stronger forecasting. The best predictive analytics tools elevate a business’s analytics knowledge to aid in important decision making and future outcomes.
Risk Scoring for Chronic Diseases
There are many predictive analytics applications in healthcare. Prediction and prevention are essential to delivering quality patient care. Healthcare providers can pinpoint patients with higher risks of developing chronic conditions earlier in a disease’s progression than ever before. Such insights give patients the best chances of avoiding long-term, costly health problems. Predictive modeling is key to identifying and managing high-risk patients and improving quality and cost outcomes.
Identifying Equipment Maintenance Needs
Predictive analytics is useful for identifying equipment maintenance needs before they happen. Components of some medical equipment degrade over time with regular use. Being able to predict when equipment needs maintenance or replacement parts minimizes unplanned workflow disruptions that affect healthcare providers and patients. The more that new technologies and advanced equipment is used by healthcare providers, the more important predictive maintenance becomes.
Paraplegics confined to wheelchairs and patients with spinal cord injuries who need to learn how to rewalk can greatly benefit from a wearable robotic exoskeleton. Robot suits have proven useful as a means of reducing workplace injuries and aiding those who struggle to stand upright.
Ekso Bionics is the global leader in exoskeleton technology, providing disruptive clinical robotics for rehabilitation. Workplace injuries caused by repetitive motions, overexertion, and fatigue can be alleviated with the use of an exoskeleton. Their FDA-approved exoskeleton suit enhances the wearer’s natural abilities, endurance, and overall quality of life. Exoskeleton technology empowers human mobility and enhances strength and endurance with advanced robotics.
Predicting Patient Utilization Patterns
Another predictive analytics application in healthcare is the prediction of patient utilization patterns. Medical clinics that operate without fixed schedules have to vary their staffing levels in anticipation of fluctuations in patients. Analytics help predicts patterns in utilization so that clinics can have sufficient staff scheduled to manage the flow of patients while reducing wait times and improving patient satisfaction. Visualization tools and analytics help clinics make better decisions about workflow adjustments and scheduling changes.
Precision Medicine and New Therapies
The more that precision medicine and genomics evolve, the more analytics are used to supplement clinical trials and drug discovery techniques. Predictive modeling and simulation predict clinical outcomes, guide clinical trial designs, supports effectiveness, optimizes dosage, predict product safety, and evaluates potential adverse outcomes. Prescriptive analytics is especially useful in drug individualization, modeling, and simulation.
There are many predictive analytics applications in healthcare including risk scoring for chronic diseases, predictive equipment maintenance, predicting patient utilization patterns, and precision medicine and new therapies.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been diagnosed with Covid-19 after developing symptoms.
Emmanuel Macron, 42, will now self-isolate for seven days, the Elysée Palace said in a statement.
The president “is still in charge” of running the country and will work remotely, said an official.
EU chief Charles Michel and Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez are both self-isolating after coming into contact with President Macron on December 14.
France this week imposed an overnight curfew to help deal with soaring cases there.
There have been 2 million confirmed cases in France since the coronavirus epidemic began, with more than 59,400 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The Elysée Palace said in a statement on December 17: “The President of the Republic has been diagnosed positive for Covid-19 today.”
The diagnosis was made following a “test performed at the onset of the first symptoms”.
It is not yet known how President Macron caught the virus but his office said it was identifying any close contacts he has made in recent days.
PM Jean Castex, 55, and Parliament Speaker Richard Ferrand, 58, are both self-isolating, their offices confirmed.
Jean Castex, who is not showing any symptoms, was due to introduce the government’s Covid vaccination policy in the Senate on December 17 – now Health Minister Olivier Véran is doing it instead.
Spain’s PM Pedro Sánchez, 48, and EU chief Charles Michel, 44, are both self-isolating after meeting the French president for lunch on December 14.
The Spanish prime minister’s office said he would be tested.
Emmanuel Macron’s wife Brigitte, who is 67, is also self-isolating, but has no symptoms.
President Macron is one of several world leaders who have contracted the respiratory disease since the pandemic began. Most notably, President Donald Trump tested positive in October, which led to him spending three days in hospital.
UK’s PM Boris Johnson also caught the virus and ended up in intensive care during the country’s first wave in March.
Earlier this week, France eased national lockdown restrictions imposed to tackle its second wave of the pandemic. However, infection rates still remain high and a daily 20:00-06:00 curfew was imposed. The new measures have forced restaurants, cafes, theatres and cinemas to close.
On December 16, France registered more than 17,700 new cases.
Emmanuel Macron has not tested positive for the virus before, sources have told Le Figaro.
The news website said: “His wife, the first lady Brigitte Macron, had already been a contact person [for Covid-19] a few months before but the presidential couple had until now managed to avoid contracting the virus.”
A presidential spokeswoman confirmed that all of Emmanuel Macron’s upcoming trips, including a visit to Lebanon on December 22, have been canceled.
The outfit is very important as it helps represent ourselves. If you’re not an expert in picking the right clothes for cheap and combining them professionally, look no further.
You will find something more than a recommendation on creating a budget and following it while opting for apparel in the post below.
Shop Out of Season
It is one of the best recommendations for those who want to get high-quality clothes for cheap. It’s a well-known fact that most brands charge a lot for trendy and demanded clothes. However, not-demanded or past-season garments can be purchased cheaply.
Being an undergraduate, you can spend the saved money on getting academic writing assistance online. Consequently, you will get top-notch apparel and top-grade papers.
Pick Color Scheme
All people have preferable colors. Narrow your search by picking clothes of colors you will enjoy every day. However, if you want to look trendy, you need to combine colors professionally.
For instance, try not to combine blue and green or gray and brown apparel in your outfit. If you prefer neutral colors, feel free to purchase white, black, and gray clothes. All these colors can be perfectly combined.
To discover how to create a garment color scheme, don’t hesitate to read a fashion blog post or follow trendy designers.
Stick to Your Style
These days, there are tons of clothing styles. However, if you don’t have a vast budget, stick to your most preferable style. If you like classic clothes, purchase a few outfits that imply shoes, trousers, and shirts.
In case you adore the sporty style, rather buy a new pair of sneakers than leather shoes that will be covered with dust in your wardrobe.
Find Coupons Online
A lot of apparel companies and retail stores share coupons online. By applying them, you can buy clothes with a discount online. To not spend a lot of time searching for promotion codes, install a browser application that automatically finds promo codes.
If you’re a student, you can also get an extra discount. All that you need is to confirm your student ID and buy clothes cheap.
In case you’re a student who is short on time to opt for new clothes and wants someone to help you pass your papers until a deadline, follow this link – custom writing. This site gathers trustworthy reviews on essay writing platforms. Therefore, you will easily pick the best one.
Use Cashback Apps
If the applied discount cannot reduce the final price enough, try using cashback applications. Using them, you can purchase an item and get a particular amount of money returned, which will help you save some extra dollars.
Avoid Spontaneous Purchases
A lot of shops drive clients to make spontaneous purchases. In most cases, making an impulsive buying, people purchase things they don’t need for a large price. It’s profitable for retailers, but not for consumers.
If you want to keep your budget safe, always force yourself to wait before purchasing an item.
During this time, you can learn more about the desired item and look for better deals. For instance, students who spend money wisely always examine new paper writing services, like PapersOwl, before ordering assignments online. To learn more about the mentioned service, check out PapersOwl reviews on the Internet.
Also, delete shopping apps from your smartphone and unsubscribe from newsletters that spam you with new deals.
In case you still want to buy a particular garment after a few days, head to the shop and don’t forget about the money-saving tips above.
Don’t Forget about Outlets
An outlet store is a great option to purchase high-quality clothes for cheap. Outlets offer the ability to find trendy apparel with up to 70% discount. The clothes in these shops are original and new. Therefore, don’t be shy to visit some outlets in your area.
Take Care of Clothes
In case you don’t want to spend a lot of money on clothes, make them last longer. You shouldn’t leave your clothes outside, so they will not fade because of the sun’s rays. Also, don’t throw them on the ground.
Wash your garment properly to keep it in good condition as long as possible. Don’t forget to read the labels. They will tell you how to wash, dry, and iron clothes. If lint-balls appear on your apparel, feel free to grab a razor and de-pill them.
Ask Friends To Help
Sometimes, it may be hard to pick an individual style by yourself. In such a case, ask your friend, who always has a trendy outfit, to help you. Consequently, your friend will help you pick the right clothes for you and share some fashion secrets.
If your friend is struggling to find time for shopping due to a heavy workload, recommend the services of Essay Pro. Thanks to the help of Essay Pro, a paper-writing platform, students can have their assignments completed by professionals. However, it’s always important to conduct thorough research and examine the platform’s reviews before placing an order.
Extra Hint
Sometimes, it may be hard to create an individual style by following recommendations and outfit samples. Therefore, don’t be shy to experiment by combining different styles.
For instance, SportChic is a very popular style which is a combination of classic and sporty clothes.
Joe Biden’s presidential election victory was confirmed by the US Electoral College.
In a speech after the announcement, the president-elect said US democracy had been “pushed, tested and threatened” and “proved to be resilient, true and strong”.
He condemned President Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the result.
Later Russian President Vladimir Putin became one of the last world leaders to congratulate Joe Biden on his victory.
Moscow had said it would wait for the official results before doing so. Most other national leaders contacted Joe Biden days after the vote on November 3.
Confirmation by the Electoral College was one of the steps required for Joe Biden to take office.
Democrat Joe Biden won November’s contest with 306 Electoral College votes to Republican Donald Trump’s 232.
Donald Trump, who shows few signs of conceding, has not commented. Shortly after the Electoral College’s vote, the president announced on Twitter the departure of Attorney General William Barr, who had said there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the election, despite President Trump’s claims.
Speaking in Delaware, Joe Biden praised “ordinary men and women” who had refused to be bullied, referring to the president’s efforts to question and overturn the results, involving legal challenges which have been rejected by courts across the country.
He described the efforts as “a position so extreme we’ve never seen it before”.
“Respecting the will of the people is at the heart of our democracy, even when we find those results hard to accept,” he said.
“The flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago,” he added.
“And we know that nothing not even a pandemic or an abuse of power can extinguish that flame.”
Joe Biden said it was time to “turn the page, as we’ve done throughout our history, to unite, to heal”.
But he warned that, with the coronavirus pandemic continuing to ravage the US, there would be difficult months ahead.
“There is urgent work in front of us,” Joe Biden said.
“Getting this pandemic under control and getting the nation vaccinated against this virus.”
Joe Biden stressed the importance of immediate economic help that was “so badly needed by so many Americans who are hurting today” and rebuilding the economy to be “better than it ever was”.
He was speaking as the coronavirus death toll in the US rose above 300,000.
Normally the electors do not get that much attention but this year, after uncertainty generated by a raft of challenges to results in Democrat-won states by the Trump campaign, the state-by-state vote was in the spotlight.
Solidly Democrat California, with its 55 electors, was one of the last states to vote on December 14 and took Joe Biden across the 270-vote threshold required to win the presidency.
Heightened security had been put in place in some states, including Michigan and Georgia, ahead of voting, which took place in state capitals and Washington DC.
In Michigan – a key swing state Joe Biden won – legislative offices in the state capital Lansing were closed due to “credible” threats of violence.
The vote at the capitol building went ahead peacefully although a group of Republicans tried to enter the building to hold their own vote and were turned away.
Nursing is an amazing career that is noble and well-respected. Working to help others is a job that you can be proud of, and with many career paths to choose from within the field of nursing, the opportunities are bountiful. However, while nursing is a great career choice, it’s also important to realize that not everything is as it seems. While it’s universally acknowledged that nursing is a challenging job, it can still be a bit of a shock to the system for new nurses when they do finally step onto a hospital ward or other healthcare environment to begin their careers. If you have been thinking about becoming a nurse, here are six things you need to know before you start your training.
1. Career Options
As mentioned above, there are a lot of career opportunities within nursing to choose from once you’re a qualified, licensed RN. You can choose to pursue a career in mental health, specializing in pediatrics, or sexual health, and so on. Before you start a nursing degree, consider what career paths you might be interested in once you do become an RN so you can start to consider what steps you will need to take to achieve your goals. You may change your mind once you become an RN, which is fine, but it’s important to think about your options.
2. Education
If you want to become a nurse, you will have to get a nursing degree, so committing to education needs to be something you’re willing to do. You should be aware that if you did want to move forward in your nursing career that some positions will require additional certifications, which means you may have to return to school to complete a master’s degree or even a DNP nursing qualification. You can fit these further studies around your work, as there are many flexible approaches to learning, including online courses. Either way, you need to know that as a nurse, you will have to be constantly learning, even if it’s not at a degree level, to keep up with the latest in healthcare.
3. Working Under Pressure
There will be numerous times when you will feel a lot of pressure at work as a nurse, and this can be very overwhelming. While it’s normal to feel this way, the bottom line is that you must be able to overcome that and be able to carry on with your work even on the toughest of days. You might get better at this overtime during your career as a nurse, but before you start this journey, ask yourself if you’re the kind of person who can cope under high-pressure situations and stay professional.
4. Long Hours
Your working hours will depend on the kind of environment you’re working in. For example, if you’re working in a hospital, you’re more likely to be working in a shift pattern. You might notice that you’re only scheduled to work 3-4 days a week, which seems great at first. If you are only working a few days of the week, you’ll likely be working 12-hour shifts, which are a lot harder than you think. In addition to this, you might find that you’re regularly called in on your days off due to short staff issues. This doesn’t happen everywhere, but it’s something you need to be prepared for if you’re going to commit to a career as a nurse. You will be working long hours, especially in a hospital. However, working in a smaller clinic or doctor’s office, you might be working something closer to a 9-5 working pattern, depending on the office hours.
5. Variety of Tasks
As a nurse,you’re responsible for more than assisting doctors and administering medications to patients. Be prepared to serve patients meals, talk to them, bathe them, deal with their families, act as a liaison between doctors, patients, and their relatives. You will have to record symptoms, perform diagnostic tests, operate medical equipment, and educate patients about how to care for themselves once they’re discharged. The list goes on, but you’ll certainly have your hands full.
6. Dealing with Death
Finally, this is probably the hardest part of the job, particularly as you will be bonding with patients as part of your role. Death is an inevitable part of life, but that doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking. Although it might not happen every day, you will have to see people die as a nurse, and even if you know it’s coming, it’ll always be sad. Each death will affect you differently but think carefully about whether or not this is something you could cope with as part of your job before becoming a nurse.
Nursing is a great career choice, but it isn’t for the faint of heart. If you think you can handle all of the above, then perhaps you’ve got what it takes to make it as a nurse.
The US Covid-19 vaccination has began, as the country gears up for its largest ever immunization campaign.
Sandra Lindsay, an intensive care nurse in Long Island, New York, is believed to have been the first person to be given the vaccine.
Millions of doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are being distributed, with 150 hospitals expected to receive them on December 14.
The US vaccination program aims to reach 100 million people by April.
Covid-19 fatalities are nearing 300,000 in the US, which has by far the world’s highest death toll.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine received emergency-use authorization from the FDA on December 11.
President Donald Trump tweeted following the news from New York: “First Vaccine Administered. Congratulations USA! Congratulations WORLD!”
The roll-out of the vaccine comes as the epidemic continues to ravage the US. Deaths have been rising sharply since November and the number of people in hospital with the disease has also continued to grow steadily, with more than 109,000 people currently admitted, according to the Covid Tracking Project.
Sandra Lindsay, a nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, received the vaccine live on camera. Footage was streamed on the Twitter feed of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, whose state was the epicenter of the US epidemic in the first wave earlier this year.
She said: “It didn’t feel any different from taking any other vaccine.
“I hope this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time in our history. I want to instill public confidence that the vaccine is safe. We’re in a pandemic and so we all need to do our part.”
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine – a collaboration between a US pharmaceutical giant and a German biotechnology company – offers up to 95% protection and is the first Covid-19 vaccine to be approved by US regulators.
The vaccine is already being rolled out in the UK, while Canada is also beginning its inoculation program on December 14, with an initial 30,000 doses going to 14 sites across the country.
Anita Quidangen, a caregiver at the Rekai Centre nursing home in Toronto, was the first to receive the vaccine in Canada.
The first three million doses in the US are being distributed to dozens of locations across all 50 states by cargo plane and truck.
The US mass vaccination will begin on December 14 after it was authorized for emergency use, officials say.
The first three million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine would be shipped “across all states” this weekend, said General Gustave Perna, who is overseeing distribution.
The vaccine offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19 and was deemed safe by the FDA.
On December 12, the US recorded a daily toll of 3,309 Covid-related deaths.
The figure, reported on the Johns Hopkins University website, is the highest total in a single day anywhere in the world.Coronavirus deaths have been rising sharply since November in the US.
Authorizing the emergency use of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on December 11, the FDA – which had come under intense pressure from the Trump administration to do so – said the move was a “significant milestone” in the pandemic.
During a news conference on December 12, Gen. Perna – speaking for the government’s vaccination campaign Operation Warp Speed – said doses of the vaccine would be packed into shipping containers for transportation “within the next 24 hours”.
He said: “Expect 145 sites across the states to receive the vaccine on Monday, another 425 sites on Tuesday, and the final 66 sites on Wednesday.”
He also said that next week’s distribution would complete the initial delivery of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and cover about three million people.
Gen. Perna told reporters he was “100% confident” that the doses “needed to defeat the enemy Covid” would be transported safely.
However, he warned that while it had been a week of progress, “we are not done until every American has access to a vaccine”.
The Pfizer vaccine has already received regulatory approval in the UK, Canada, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Like those countries, US health authorities are expected to prioritize health workers and care home residents for the first doses.
More Americans outside the highest-priority groups are likely to be able to get the vaccine in January, with general availability expected by April.
On December 10, medical experts advising the FDA recommended the emergency-use authorization. A 23-member panel concluded the vaccine’s benefits outweighed its risks.
Emergency use, the FDA said, was not the same as full approval, which would require Pfizer to file a separate application to secure.
The Pfizer/BioNTech product was the first coronavirus vaccine to show promising results in the latter stages of its testing process.
It is a new type called an mRNA vaccine that uses a tiny fragment of genetic code from the pandemic virus to teach the body how to fight Covid-19 and build immunity.
The FDA said: “The vaccine contains a small piece of the [Covid-19] virus’s mRNA that instructs cells in the body to make the virus’s distinctive ‘spike’ protein.”
Brandon Bernard has been executed in Indiana after last-minute clemency pleas were rejected by the Supreme Court.
The 40-year-old death row inmate was convicted of murder in 1999 when he was a teenager, and is the youngest offender to be executed by the federal government in nearly 70 years.
Brandon Bernard told the family of the couple he killed he was sorry, before dying by lethal injection on December 10.
Four more executions are planned before the end of Donald Trump’s presidency.
If all five take place, President Trump will have overseen the most executions by a US president in more than a century. It would bring to 13 the total of federal executions since July.
They break with an 130-year-old precedent of pausing executions amid a presidential transition. Joe Biden becomes president on January 20.
Brandon Bernard was pronounced dead at 21:27 local time on December 10 at a penitentiary in the city of Terre Haute.
Before that he directed his last words to the victims’ family, speaking calmly for more than three minutes.
According to the Associated Press, he said: “I’m sorry. That’s the only words that I can say that completely capture how I feel now and how I felt that day.”
The execution was delayed for more than two hours after Brandon Bernard’s lawyers asked in vain for the Supreme Court to halt it.
He was given the death penalty for his involvement in the murder of Todd and Stacie Bagley in June 1999.
Brandon Bernard was one of five teenagers accused of robbing the pair and forcing them into the boot of their car in Texas.
They were shot as they lay in the boot by 19-year-old accomplice Christopher Vialva before Brandon Bernard set the car alight.
His lawyers say he feared what would happen to him if he refused to follow the orders of Vialva, who was executed in September.
Others involved in the incident were given prison sentences as they were under 18 and classed as juveniles.
Brandon Bernard’s lawyers argued that he should be given life in prison without parole, as, throughout his time in jail, he maintained a good record and worked with outreach programs to stop people from getting involved in crime.
Evan Holyfield says his dad is ready to take on former-rival Mike Tyson for the third time, who famously bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear in 1997. Evan wants the next match to be a family affair with him fighting the preliminary match.
In Texas Evan Holyfield has another impressive knockout in his boxing career. Not in the ring, but in the courts and as a result he has his freedom back.
Evan Holyfield has successfully voided what his lawyers called a “fraudulent, dishonest, and unconscionable” management contract scheme contrived by Maurice “Termite” Watkins. Holyfield filed a lawsuit against Watkins in the 334th Harris County District Court in June 2020 after the pair entered a management contract that Watkins failed to uphold.
After signing the contract, Holyfield soon came to believe Watkins’ representations were lies.
The lawsuit alleges Watkins sought to take advantage of Holyfield’s talent and internationally recognized name as his manager. The contract was written by Watkins, who allegedly used his 52 years of boxing experience to take advantage of Holyfield. Watkins coerced the young Holyfield into the deal with a relentless pressure campaign.
Holyfield was represented by Houston attorney Andrew Cobos of The Cobos Law Firm. Cobos stated, “My client recognized that the Defendants in this case jeopardized his career and sought to take advantage of his name and talent. Then he took action. I am glad that the court recognized the situation for what it was and entered an order stating that this oppressive contract is void.”
The contract Holyfield entered promised extensive one-on-one training time with Watkins and a strength coach to prepare the boxer for upcoming matches: “thirty to forty-five hours per week refining the raw talent that Holyfield possessed.”
Holyfield received just a fraction of the time with Watkins and only three or four hours over internet or text message with the strength coach.
Attorneys for Holyfield state “it is unheard of in the boxing world for a promising young fighter—one with aspirations of becoming a world champion—to be virtually trained.
When Holyfield confronted Watkins about the training, Watkins made racially insensitive threats stating he would “sell Holyfield to the highest bidder”. The lawsuit also states Watkins stole earnings he had no entitlement to.
The most shocking part of the lawsuit—Watkins did not even have the legal capacity to act as a manager. Watkins is not licensed or registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation as required by law in professional combative sports such as boxing.
“This case should send a message to boxing managers everywhere, and that is, do what is right, do what is honorable, and do what is fair,” said Cobos.
Evan Holyfield will fight his 5th professional match this weekend on December 12 against Donnis Reed at Champion Boxing Gym in Jonesboro, Georgia.
British and Russian scientists are teaming up to trial a combination of the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Sputnik V vaccines to see if protection against Covid-19 can be improved.
According to the researchers, mixing two similar vaccines could lead to a better immune response in people.
The trials, to be held in Russia, will involve over-18s, although it’s not clear how many people will be involved.
Oxford recently published results showing their vaccine was safe and effective in trials on people.
The researchers are still collecting data on the effectiveness of the vaccine in older age groups while waiting for approval from the UK regulator, the MHRA.
AstraZeneca said it was exploring combinations of different adenovirus vaccines to find out whether mixing them leads to a better immune response and, therefore, greater protection.
The Oxford vaccine, developed in partnership with AstraZeneca, and the Russian Sputnik vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute in Moscow, are similar because they both contain genetic material from the Sars-CoV-2 spike protein.
They work differently to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has been approved in the UK, Canada, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and recommended for approval by medical experts in the US.
Early results from late-stage trials of the Russian vaccine have shown promising results.
Russia was the first country to register a Covid vaccine for emergency use – in August, despite only having been tested on a few dozen people.
Sputnik V is now being offered to Russians as part of a mass vaccination campaign.
AstraZeneca said it was “working with industry partners, governments and research institutions around the world, and will soon begin exploring with Gamaleya Research Institute in Russia to understand whether two adenovirus-based vaccines can be successfully combined”.
The federal execution of Brandon Bernard is set to go ahead on December 10, the first of five before the end of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Kim Kardashian West is among those urging clemency for the row inmate.
Brandon Bernard, 40, was convicted of murder when aged 18 and would be the youngest offender executed by the federal government in nearly 70 years.
If the five take place, President Trump will have overseen the most executions by a US president in more than a century.
It would bring to 13 the total of federal executions since July.
The executions break with an 130-year-old precedent of pausing executions amid a presidential transition. Joe Biden becomes president on January 20.
Brandon Bernanrd is scheduled to begin the five executions, along with 56-year-old Alfred Bourgeois. They are both scheduled to be put to death at a penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Bernard was given the death penalty for his involvement in the murder of Todd and Stacie Bagley in June 1999.
He was one of five teenagers accused of robbing the pair and forcing them into the back of their car in Texas.
They were shot in the car by 19-year-old accomplice Christopher Vialva before Brandon Bernard set the car alight.
Defense lawyers say both of the Bagleys probably died before the car was set on fire.
An independent investigator hired by the defense said Stacie was medically dead before the fire.
However, government testimony during the trial claimed that although Todd Bagley died instantly, Stacie had soot in her airway, signaling that she had died from smoke inhalation and not the gunshot wound.
Brandon Bernard’s lawyers claim he feared what would happen to him if he refused to follow the orders of Christopher Vialva, who was executed in September.
Others involved in the incident were given prison sentences as they were under 18 and classed as juveniles.
Brandon Bernard’s lawyers argue that he should be given life in prison without parole as throughout his time in jail, he has maintained a good record and worked with outreach programs to stop people from getting involved in crime.
The federal prosecutor who defended Brandon Bernard’s death sentence has since called for Bernard to see out his sentence in prison.
Five of the surviving nine jurors have called for President Trump to commute Brandon Bernard’s death sentence.
Tens of thousands of other people have urged the president to grant Bernard clemency.
Kim Kardashian West has sent numerous tweets about Brandon Bernard’s case to her followers, urging them to get behind the cause and raise awareness.
She is studying to be a lawyer in California and has previously helped sway criminal cases.
In March, Kim Kardashian visited the White House with three women whose jail terms were cut by President Trump.
Joe Biden has vowed 100 million Covid-19 vaccinations in his first 100 days in office.
The president-elect said his first months in office would not end the outbreak and gave few details on a rollout plan but he said he would change the course of Covid-19.
Introducing his health team for when he takes office on January 20, Joe Biden urged Americans to “mask up for 100 days”.
On December 8, a report paved the way for a Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to be approved and rolled out for Americans.
Emergency authorization for its use could be issued by the FDA on December 10, with the country’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci saying mass vaccination could start as soon as next week.
Also on December 8, President Donald Trump attended a summit at the White House of his Covid-19 vaccination program, Operation Warp Speed, and hailed the expected approval of vaccines. His administration hopes to vaccinate as many as 24 million people by mid-January.
According to Johns Hopkins University research, the US has recorded more than 15 million cases so far and 285,000 deaths, both global highs.
Many parts of the US are seeing peak infections, with record numbers of people in hospital, with some experts blaming travel by millions over the recent Thanksgiving holiday.
At a news conference in Delaware on December 8, Joe Biden laid out how he plans to address the pandemic in his first 100 days in office. That period is traditionally seen as a benchmark for new presidents to make their mark with new policies and ideas.
He vowed to get “at least 100 million Covid vaccine shots into the arms of the American people”.
Last week, Joe Biden complained he had been given no rollout plans by the Trump administration. Operation Warp Speed’s top scientist Moncef Slaoui has still to meet the Biden team and is expected to do so this week.
Getting children back to school would also be a priority, he said.
Joe Biden also introduced California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as his nomination for health secretary and his choice of Rochelle Walensky as head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Among his other aides will be Dr. Anthony Fauci as chief Covid medical adviser. The expert also advised the Trump team and often fell foul of the president for his views.
Getting 100 million vaccines to Americans in just over three months is not expected to be easy. The large geographical size of the US and the logistics of rolling out a new vaccine could present challenges in achieving the goal.
Rudy Giuliani is being treated in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19.
President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer is the latest person close to the president to be infected.
Since November, Rudy Giuliani, who has led the Trump campaign’s legal challenges to the election results, has been on a cross-country tour in an effort to convince state governments to overturn the vote.
Like other Trump officials, he has been criticized for shunning face masks.
President Trump, who got the virus in October, announced the diagnosis in a tweet, writing: “Get better soon Rudy, we will carry on!”
The former New York mayor was admitted to the Medstar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington DC on December 6.
The news came after he had visited Arizona, Georgia and Michigan all in the past week – where he spoke to government officials while not wearing masks.
Following news of Rudy Giuliani’s diagnosis, the Arizona legislature announced sudden plans to shut down for one week. Several Republican lawmakers there had spent over 10 hours with him last week discussing election results.
Following Rudy Giuliani’s visit to Phoenix, Arizona, the state’s Republican party tweeted a photo of him with other mask-less state lawmakers.
In a tweet, the 76-year-old thanked well-wishers for their messages, and said he was “recovering quickly”.
He wrote: “Thank you to all my friends and followers for all the prayers and kind wishes. I’m getting great care and feeling good. Recovering quickly and keeping up with everything.”
Rudy Giuliani’s son, who works at the White House and tested positive for the virus last month, tweeted that his father was “resting, getting great care and feeling well”.
He wrote: “My Dad @RudyGiuliani is resting, getting great care and feeling well. Thank you to all the friends who have reached out concerned about his well being.”
On December 6, Dr Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, criticized the Trump administration for flouting guidelines and peddling “myths” about the pandemic.
She told NBC: “I hear community members parroting back those situations, parroting back that masks don’t work, parroting back that we should work towards herd immunity.”
“This is the worst event that this country will face,” she said.
Dozens of people in President Trump’s orbit are said to have tested positive for Covid-19 since October.
Boris Epshteyn, another Trump adviser, tested positive shortly after appearing alongside Rudy Giuliani at a news conference on November 25.
Others include the president’s chief of staff Mark Meadows and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, along with First Lady Melania Trump and sons Donald Jr. and Baron.
Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has tested positive for Covid-19, the president has announced.
The president tweeted: “Get better soon Rudy, we will carry on!”
Rudy Giuliani, who has been leading the Trump campaign’s legal challenges to the 2020 election results, is the latest person in the president’s inner circle to be infected.
President Trump and his team have been criticized for shunning safety guidance. He got ill in October.
Nearly 14.6 million people have been infected with Covid-19 in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University, and 281,234 people have died – the highest figures of any country in the world.
On December 6, Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force co-ordinator, criticized the Trump administration for flouting guidelines and peddling “myths” about the pandemic.
She told NBC: “I hear community members parroting back those situations, parroting back that masks don’t work, parroting back that we should work towards herd immunity.”
“This is the worst event that this country will face,” she said.
Rudy Giuliani, 76, has not commented publicly on his diagnosis.
It is not clear whether the former New York mayor is experiencing symptoms, whether he is self-isolating or when he caught the virus.
Since the November 3 election, Rudy Giuliani has travelled the country as part of efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s election defeat. During many of his events, he was seen without a face mask and ignoring social distancing.
On December 3, he travelled to Georgia where he repeated unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud at a Senate committee hearing about election security.
Dozens of people in Trump’s orbit are said to have tested positive for Covid-19 since October, including his chief of staff Mark Meadows and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
First Lady Melania Trump and sons Donald Jr. and Baron also contracted the virus.
President Trump’s own diagnosis upended his unsuccessful campaign for a second term in office, less than a month before he faced Joe Biden in the presidential election.
China has become the second nation to plant its flag on the Moon, more than 50 years after the US first planted its flag there.
The pictures from China’s National Space Administration show the flag holding still on the windless lunar surface.
The pictures were taken by a camera on the Chang’e-5 space probe before it left the Moon with rock samples on December 3.
Two previous Chinese lunar missions had flags on the crafts’ coatings – so neither could be affixed to the moon.
The US planted the first flag on the Moon during the manned Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Five further US flags were planted on the lunar surface during subsequent missions up until 1972.
In 2012, NASA cited satellite images as showing that five of the flags were still standing, but experts quoted in media reports say they are likely to have been bleached white by the sun’s glare.
The first flag was said by astronaut Buzz Aldrin to have been placed too close to the Apollo lunar module and was, he said, probably blown away when the module blasted off.
The state-run Global Times newspaper said the Chinese flag was a reminder of the “excitement and inspiration” felt during the US Apollo missions.
The fabric flag was unfurled by the Chang’e-5 lander vehicle just before its ascender vehicle took off using the lander as a launchpad.
It has taken soil and rock samples to China’s lunar orbiter 9 miles above the lunar surface – which will then be enclosed in a module that will be aimed at China’s Inner Mongolia region.
The Chinese flag is 2m wide and 90cm tall and weighs about a kilogram. All parts of the flag have been given features such as protection against cold temperatures, project leader Li Yunfeng told the Global Times.
“An ordinary national flag on Earth would not survive the severe lunar environment,” project developer Cheng Chang said.
China’s national flag was seen on the Moon during its first lunar landing mission, Chang’e-3 in photographs taken by the lander and rover of each other. The Chang’e-4 lander and rover brought the flag to the dark side of the moon in 2019.
However, in both cases the flag was on the crafts’ coating rather than being an actual fabric flag on a pole.
The Chang’e-5 mission is China’s third successful landing on the Moon in seven years.
President-elect Joe Biden has announced he will ask Americans to wear masks for his first 100 days in office to curtail the spread of coronavirus.
Joe Biden told CNN he believed there would be a “significant reduction” in Covid-19 cases if every American wore a face covering.
He also said he would order masks to be worn in all government buildings.
The US has recorded 14.1 million cases and 276,000 deaths from Covid-19 – the highest of any country in the world.
Joe Biden is preparing to take office as pharmaceutical giants are poised to ship millions of doses of coronavirus vaccines to the American public.
In his first joint interview with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris since the election, Joe Biden said: “The first day I’m inaugurated to say I’m going to ask the public for 100 days to mask. Just 100 days to mask, not forever. One hundred days.
“And I think we’ll see a significant reduction if we occur that, if that occurs with vaccinations and masking to drive down the numbers considerably.”
The first 100 days of a new presidency is symbolically important in the US and is seen as a gauge of how a president will get things done.
However, constitutional experts say the president has no legal authority to order Americans to wear masks, but Joe Biden said during the interview he and his Vice-President Kamala Harris would set an example by donning face coverings.
The president’s executive authority does cover US government property, and Joe Biden told CNN he intended to exercise such power.
He said: “I’m going to issue a standing order that in federal buildings you have to be masked.”
He added: “Transportation, interstate transportation, you must be masked, airplanes and buses, et cetera.”
US airlines, airports and most public transit systems already require all passengers and workers to wear face coverings.
The Trump administration has rejected calls from American health experts to mandate masks in transportation as “overly restrictive”.
Many people have what they refer to as the “Wintertime blues.” This is when a person feels sad for seemingly no reason, mostly during the winter season. However, there is a reason, and it is usually due to seasonal affective disorder (SAD.)
In 2020, SAD is made worse due to stresses from a pandemic. That’s why it’s important that you seek help now. Don’t wait for a vaccine or for the season to pass.
Why Does SAD Happen?
SAD is usually caused by a storm of several things. Let’s discuss what these are.
Less Light
The biggest cause of SAD is the lack of sunlight. In some areas, the sun can set before 5 PM. For some people who have certain shifts, they may see little sunlight. Sunlight gives vitamin D, helps to regulate our sleep/wake cycles, and can be a natural antidepressant. It makes sense that someone may feel depression.
Less Exercising
Exercising can be a natural antidepressant, helping one to focus while releasing endorphins. Unless you are a gym rat or you like to run all year, you may be moving around a lot less. This can contribute to SAD.
Sleep Changes
In wintertime, we may oversleep. Getting sleep is good for the mind, but having too much sleep can be bad for us and increase our risk of depression. Alternatively, there are cases where a person may have difficulties falling asleep this time of year. Not to mention, you tend to produce more melatonin during the winter, which can make you sleepy.
Life’s Stresses
While Mother Nature plays a big role in SAD, so does your personal life. We are living in a pandemic currently, and many of us are stressed, feel cooped up, or are dealing with other issues. This can certainly make your illness worse.
Symptoms
SAD has similar symptoms to depression. Obviously, the biggest depression symptom is when you are feeling sad all day for multiple days. However, irritability can be another symptom.
You may feel like you are less interested in what you used to love. You may have thoughts of dread. In some cases, it can be difficult for you to move or get out of bed. You may fall out of routine.
Overeating is another symptom of SAD. Combined with all the holiday foods, and you may see weight gain. This can lead to body issues and make your issues worse. You may also drink more, leading to other problems.
There are many reasons why SAD can be debilitating, and it’s important to seek help should you suspect that you have it. Symptoms tend to go away with the changing seasons, but do not think that will necessarily be the case. Besides that, it’s important for you to treat your symptoms whenever possible.
Treatment
Treating SAD can involve several lifestyle changes, and in some cases seeking professional help.
Lifestyle Changes
It’s important for you to live a healthy lifestyle if you are afflicted with SAD. Work out at least a half hour a day. If you can’t go to a gym, do some crunches. Bundle up and run outside. Lifestyle changes can also include you eating a balanced meal and getting the correct amount of sleep.
Having a routine is also a good treatment for SAD. Make a schedule and stick to it. However, don’t beat yourself up too much if you mess up.
Finally, the sun plays a big part in treating SAD. Open your blinds and get some sun in, or spend some time outside. If you can’t do either, invest in a therapy lamp. This can give you artificial sunlight that mimics the light of the sun.
Seeking Professional Help
SAD is something that you may want to speak with a therapist about. In severe cases, a combination of therapy and medication can help you.
Medication can help alleviate symptoms, while therapy can help you get back on a routine. You can learn mindfulness strategies, learn how to plan goals, and have a treatment regimen that is tailored for your personality.
With everything going on, one solution you should look into is online therapy. You can speak to a therapist remotely and get the help you need that way. By talking to a therapist through video chat, you can get the right amount of care. For more information, click here.
SAD is not something to treat lightly. By getting help and helping yourself, you can survive the harshness of winter, guaranteed.
There is perhaps nothing more infuriating when it comes to the posting of social media video output than when you find that it’s been either taken down or silenced. However the irritation related to this particular conundrum can actually be far worse.
You can find yourself in deep water if you have used music that is copyrighted, without permission of the relevant artist or production company, which could result in your social accounts being suspended or permanently removed.
Indeed there could even be the resultant possibility of legal action if it is found that his error was deliberate rather than accidental and as such it’s hugely important that you do all you can to avoid such repercussions.
Copyrighted music use requires a license and the cost of such a license can indeed be high, hence the marked rise in the services of royalty free music providers, the use of which will of course resolve any of the potential issues you could face in the long run.
Almost All Music Is Copyrighted
First off, almost all music is licensed in some manner and as such you should be incredibly careful when it comes to the use of it without permission, always err on the side of caution on this matter.
A good way, initially, to find out if a particular track is free for use was offered by YouTube up until recently, the tool they possessed gave you the option to search for a relevant song and to ascertain the copyrighted nature of that song, but they now no longer offer this.
Another way is to search via a search engine to find the relevant publisher of the song you wish to use, which in turn should lead you to the relevant department and the associated costs with the use, this is a time consuming option but perhaps the safest route.
The use of music for your own benefit, or even to a small audience in your own home, is completely acceptable and requires no license but the moment that music is used to back a video on a social media platform, then you will need to hold the relevant license, otherwise it’s a slippery slope.
There are some very rare examples of popular music being free of copyright, usually in the case of recordings that are more than 70 years old, but even then this is not always the case, proof that the minefield you have to navigate in this area is peppered with explosives.
Ignorance is No Excuse
Most sites, such as YouTube and Facebook, institute a copyright strike policy, meaning that repeated violations result in increased severity of punishment, on YouTube this punishment can indeed be even more severe and if found guilty of abusing the use for financial gain then a large fine or even a jail sentence are possible.
Partial use of a song, if copyrighted, will not absolve you of punishment, even a matter of seconds of use will invariably be picked up by the relevant social media network and it will be taken down and the punishment process will begin.
The best, and safest, way to avoid possible censure or punishment for unauthorized use of copyrighted music is to visit the plethora of royalty free music resources and find exactly what you are looking for, without the hassle of trying to adhere to tricky guidelines.
The music libraries offered by these services is vast, and in many ways the music available will go far beyond the reach of the music you may have heard, or stumbled upon, and then elected to use.
What is offered by these services is very much bespoke, in the sense that using the intuitive systems in place you can locate the ideal musical accompaniment to your video, rather than selecting a well-known song that you did not have permission for, which resulted in your entire social media channel being shut down forever.
The risk is not worth the reward, not least as you can achieve a far more cohesive social video content package when you personally select the right sound for your needs.
Elderly people in care homes and care home staff are top of the priority list, followed by over-80s and health and care staff.
However, because of the limited stocks and need to store at -70C, the very first vaccinations are likely to take place at hospitals so care home residents may not be immunized until later.
The Pfizer/BioNTech product is the fastest vaccine to go from concept to reality, taking only 10 months to follow the same steps that normally span 10 years.
The UK has already ordered 40 million doses of the free jab – enough to vaccinate 20 million people.
The doses will be rolled out as quickly as they can be made by Pfizer in Belgium, Matt Hancock said, with the first load next week and then “several millions” throughout December.
UK’s PM Boris Johnson said: “It’s the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get the economy moving again.”
Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will be non-compulsory and there will be three ways of vaccinating people across the UK:
Hospitals
Vaccination centers
In the community, with GPs and pharmacists.
Around 50 hospitals are on stand-by and vaccination centers – in venues such as conference centers or sports stadiums – are being set up now.
Because the initial doses are being delivered to hospitals, which already have the facilities to store the vaccine at -70C, the very first vaccinations are likely to take place at hospital hubs – for care home staff, NHS staff and patients – so none of the vaccine is wasted.
It is thought the vaccination network could start delivering more than one million doses a week once enough doses are available.
For more than 30 years, Andrew Miller has been leading global businesses to their full potential and highest achievements. Serving as CEO for Tandberg and Polycom, Inc., two $1B plus public companies, he has led not only these companies, but numerous others, to exponential milestones.
An Early Career with a Promising Future
Andy began his early leadership career in a big way. Miller successfully led Cisco as Vice President of Sales by taking the business to rapid growth of 1,000 to over 40,000 employees. He not only directed Cisco in sales from $250M to $20B, but also headed the $1.2B flagship unit that first introduced IP Telephony in the US.
Leading Aggressive Growth and Profitability
Placing his focus on the video-enabled communications company, Tandberg, Miller commanded the quadrupling revenues to $400M and global market leadership. Three technology customers were successfully acquired, strong relationships were formed in the investment community, and significant footholds were achieved in major global markets, including Asia-Pacific, under Miller’s guidance. Aside from negotiating strategic alliance agreements with both Cisco and Microsoft while at Tandberg, Miller then set out to direct Monster Worldwide and IPC Systems, Inc. While at these two companies he held P&L responsibility for global sales. He also developed a strategic go-to-market plan to battle emerging global rivals while at the $1.1B business, Monster Worldwide.
Polycom, Inc.’s Complete Transformation
Miller then set forth to lead Polycom’s go-to-market strategy and full redesign of the company’s go-to-market model. By incorporating cloud, virtualized software, and SaaS offerings, he achieved a strategic transformation within the company. Miller was a key force in the growth of Polycom’s $940M business to $1.5B in four short years, in addition to launching a best-in-class collaboration ecosystem that included Microsoft, IDM, and AT&T. Thanks to Miller leading the firm to a strategic rebranding plan, Polycom was later identified as the global leader in unified communications.
Broadsoft Acquisition
After his time at Polycom, Miller broadened his experience by becoming the Board Director and Managing Director for Broadsoft. Throughout his time at Broadsoft, many goals were achieved and exceeded including the execution of M and A for Contract Center allowing for expansion to SP and Enterprise accounts. He also focused on the expansion of federal business opportunities into DOD, civilian, state, and local sectors. Broadsoft’s footprint was then expanded from service provider to enterprise, leading to the $2 billion acquisition of Broadsoft by Cisco.
Focusing on Strategy with Journey Inc.
As a new board of directors and main strategic advisor for Journey Inc., his most recent venture will concentrate on leading the executive team in areas focused on policy, investors, and key clients. He aims to help Journey Inc. expand by using his strategic planning expertise while growing the profitability of the organization.
A Leader for Decades to Come
Andy Miller has been hard at work transforming multinational companies to their full potential for the past 30 years. It’s crucial to have a respected and accomplished CEO in place to ensure success. For many businesses, Andy has been this person.
The working day can be filled with stress, and, what helps stress? Food. When you are at work it can be super difficult to get out of a routine of instant ramen, fast food and vending machine snacks. Here are some small changes that you can make to start to make healthier choices at work.
Eat a filling breakfast
You know what they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why do so many of us skip it? We have all been guilty of running out of the house with only a coffee in hand, making our commute to work with nothing in our stomachs. A filling breakfast can enhance productivity, and it can be as simple as adding a breakfast berry-and-granola smoothie to your morning routine.
Take a simple, healthy lunch from home
This may seem like a lot of effort, but you can very easily make your lunchtime meals in advance for the whole week in bulk. You could batch cook a load of veggie-filled soup or make a few different salads. You could even make a wrap with leftovers from dinner. Keep it simple and keep it healthy.
As many as 82% of us admit that we don’t always take our breaks at work, instead opting to eat convenience foods at our desks while we catch up on work. However, not only does the food you consume matter, but the way in which you eat it too!
Taking a moment to appreciate our food and have a breath of fresh air can actually make incredible changes to our mental attitude. It is equally important to be healthy and happy. A wellbeing program can help you to create positive behavioral change with nutrition, healthy habits, fitness, weight management, and overall wellbeing.
Workplace vending machines have been the downfall of diets since the dawn of time. No matter what your reasoning for eating healthily, make sure to pack some healthy snacks for if you get ‘peckish’ and tempted with your mid-afternoon cuppa’.
Drink lots of water
Getting enough water a day is very important for the health of your body. Water helps your body regulate temperature, lubricate and cushion your joints, protects your spinal cord, and gets rid of nasty stuff like toxins. It is recommended we drink about 2 litres, or around 8 glasses of water a day.
This may seem like a lot until you think about how many bottles of fizzy drinks you get from the vending machine! Try to choose water over sugary drinks and sodas. You could also try drinking black coffee or tea, flavoured water, or sparkling water as an alternative way to get your daily water intake. These are relatively low, or no, calories, but should be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet.
Just try your best
All you can do is try your best. Some days you might want fries- and that is okay once in a while! Eating a balanced diet does not mean anything is off limits: everything is fine as long as it’s in moderation.
The DoJ is looking into claims that lobbyists have tried to use bribes to secure a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump, unsealed court papers show.
They say that in August investigators began investigating a “secret lobbying scheme” possibly involving attempts to contact White House officials.
The redacted filings do not give any names, but the DoJ says no government official is being probed.
President Trump tweeted: “Pardon investigation is Fake News!”
It is common for outgoing presidents to use their right to issue pardons, which wipe out convictions.
Donald Trump – who is due to leave office in January, although he is still contesting his election defeat in the courts – has used the procedure a number of times.
Last week, President Trump pardoned Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
Meanwhile, media say President Trump has been discussing the possibility of pardoning family members.
The document released by a federal court in Washington DC on December 1 relates to a request by the DoJ to use emails and other communications seized in a bribery-for-pardon inquiry.
The data, prosecutors say in the paper, points to potential “criminal activity”.
According to prosecutors, individuals – whose identities are redacted – appear to have “acted as lobbyists to senior White House officials without complying with the registration requirements” for such activity.
Their aim, according to the papers, may have been to secure “a pardon or reprieve of sentence” for another unidentified individual.
According to the documents, prosecutors in August sought a court order “so that the investigative team [could] access” the communications and confront the suspects.
It is unknown who the people targeted were.
On December 1, the DoJ said: “No government official was or is currently a subject or target of the investigation disclosed in this filing.”
According to the Pew Research Center, President Trump has so far been less enthusiastic in using his right to grant clemency than any of his recent predecessors.
President Barack Obama, whom Donald Trump replaced in 2013, granted 212 pardons and 1,715 commutations – the most since President Harry Truman in the 1940s and 1950s.
Hiring a contractor will save you time, energy, and effort in dealing with how to build your new home. However, sometimes this is not the case especially if you make the mistake of choosing someone who isn’t really up to the task. Yes, I’m saying this right from the start because ultimately, you have to take responsibility for the kind of person or company that you would hire to lead this important life project.
So to avoid the hassle and headache of choosing the wrong contractor (especially if you’re living in New Mexico), I’ve listed down a complete checklist of things you need to consider before you sign any paperwork to get started!
License
Contractors in New Mexico must be licensed with the CID in order to get any legitimate projects. So be wary of those who can’t even show you proof of their license before getting started. Having a license ensures you of a particular contractor’s experience in building homes, buildings, and other structures. I know it might be a bit more pricey, but it’s worth the cost if your home or structure stands the test of time.
Call the Better Business Bureau
If the potential contractor does show you a license but you’re not that convinced, you can contact the Better Business Bureau and check if their business is listed in the agency. It’s always a good practice to look at the BBB’s list of legitimate businesses in your area before making any deals with someone. This is very important for anyone who wants to make it a point to hire the right guys for the job.
Well-written contract
Now that you’ve established the authenticity of the company you’re going to work with, it’s time to draft your contract. The contract is an important part of your project because it details the extent of liability that your contractor has. The same goes for you. The contract can stipulate how long the project will last, how much is the cost, and other important designs.
Be sure to check this thoroughly before signing the agreement. If you’re not aware of some legal terms, you can also have it checked with a lawyer to make sure you won’t get shortchanged. Remember to put in a cancellation provision and any extension of work for reasons like natural calamities and shipment delays.
Keep in mind that the contract is meant to protect you and the contractor so don’t neglect reading through it thoroughly.
Ask for a warranty
While New Mexico doesn’t really require licensed contractors to provide warranties, you may want to ask your contractor about this still. Why? Well, of course, it protects you from possible issues arising from the work for a good amount of time after project completion. Your contractor will likely agree, especially if he’s pretty confident about his workmanship.
Proof of insurance
Aside from the warranty, you must also know if your contractor protects his work and his workers, too. You can be aware of this by asking for proof of insurance from your contractor. This adds an additional layer of security for the work the company will be doing for you.
Inspect quality work and materials used
While everything looks good on paper and with the BBB, you still have to visit the construction site from time to time to inspect how the work is going and what materials are being used during construction. Good contractors will display a good sense of rhythm during work hours and it will show how efficient they work and the quality of materials they are using and you won’t find that out if you’re just going to wait for the project to be finished.
If all these conditions have been met, then there is no reason for you not to engage with this specific contractor for a long time. You can even recommend the company to your friends and family to make sure that they, too, are getting the same excellent quality service in New Mexico.
