Recent Articles
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The real reason a new K-12 teacher probably can’t afford to live…
Patrick Gleeson EducationThere are two different reasons a beginning teacher in this country likely can't afford to live on their salary. One reason is supremely self-evident: state by state and city by city, teachers are paid less than similarly educated and qualified professionals. The second reason isn't quite so obvious, but it underlies the first and it's quite grim. Teachers are underpaid because as a group, teachers are disrespected and disliked by significant segments of the U.S. population. The underpayment isn't just "a lack of funds." It's deliberate and intended.
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F-Gas turns the screw again
Andrew Gaved Facilities & GroundsThis column has reported many times over the years on the progress of the F-Gas regulations, as the legislation seeks to achieve its ultimate goal of reducing refrigerant emissions in Europe. But 2020 marks a significant year for both the legislation and the industry that must comply with it. It is expected to change refrigerant buying habits as the once-ubiquitous R404A disappears from wholesalers' shelves. The F-Gas legislation, now in its second iteration, came into force in 2015 and has put the industry under pressure with its unique combination of restrictions.
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10 health hacks for 2020
Victoria Fann Medical & Allied HealthcareA new year is upon us and with it typically comes the desire to get healthy. Here are some health hacks to give your healthy resolutions a jump-start! For example, if sitting is the new smoking, then it's essential to find creative ways to move. Instead of setting aside time to stretch or move, double up! Stretch while waiting for your coffee to brew in the morning, take a 10-minute walk during your lunch break, do yoga while watching television or talking on the phone, dance while doing housework, etc.
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Kidney Accelerated Placement Project aims to improve transfer of hard-to-place…
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareThe Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) launched the Kidney Accelerated Placement Project (KAPP) last year. The goal of the project is to assess whether speeding up the placement of hard-to-place kidneys could increase utilization of these organs. OPTN developed this pilot testing program to improve placement of kidneys in response to the Executive Order on Advancing American Kidney Health and on feedback from the community. "Hard-to-place" kidneys have a kidney donor profile index (KDPI) of 80 or higher and are offered to all transplant programs at both the local and regional level.
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Surveys: Travel industry apps, sites lag behind speed of new possibilities
Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementAs the sophistication of technology available to us through our personal devices continues to develop and morph at lightning speed, it is not surprising that, according to recently released surveys by J.D. Power, many of the legacy travel apps we use are simply lagging behind their more agile, upstart counterparts. The 2019 J.D. Power U.S. Travel App Satisfaction Study and the 2019 U.S. Travel Website Satisfaction Study show that all travel industry websites — even those operated by digital natives — score substantially lower in customer satisfaction compared to high-scoring websites in other industries.
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How long-form content can help boost your digital marketing profits
Lisa Mulcahy MarketingWhen it comes to content marketing campaigns for 2020, the length of your copy, blog posts and content matters like never before. Long-form content — generally defined as 1,000 words or more — is a great way to engage your potential and existing customers. The benefits are great: Pew Research Center reported that online readers spend more time on 1,000-word pieces than on shorter ones. What's more is that, according to a study from BuzzSumo and Backlinko, long-form content yielded 77% more backlinks than shorter copy or posts.
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The significant food trends of 2020 include vertical farms, periodic fasting
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageFood trends for 2020 will follow a green and sustainable pattern. A recent New York Times article stated that the cause of the year is our planet. In the midst of rising climate change, food insecurity, and consumers' worry about the environmental impact of foods, choices will matter. The focuses on vertical farming and earth-friendly ingredients and practices will increase as farmers try out regenerative techniques to control weeds, improve soil, and sequester carbon for improved soil health.
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Project management essentials for project success
William D. Pawlucy Association ManagementA project is an activity with a specific goal in mind and a clear beginning and end. Unlike ongoing services and operations, a project will end, ideally, with the accomplishment of the stated goal. Identifying clear goals and establishing a project plan are critical to effective utilization of resources. It is important that the following questions are asked for every project by the staff team, led by the executive director.
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Report: US manufacturing slowdown continues
Seth Sandronsky ManufacturingThe U.S. manufacturing sector shrank in December, said the nation's supply executives in the Manufacturing ISM Report On Business. "The December PMI registered 47.2 percent, a decrease of 0.9 percentage point from the November reading of 48.1 percent," said Timothy R. Fiore, chair of the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) Manufacturing Business Survey Committee. "This is the PMI's lowest reading since June 2009, when it registered 46.3 percent." December was the fifth straight month of PMI contraction.
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When the healthcare C-suite embraces the digital age
Keith Carlson Healthcare AdministrationIn the healthcare ecosystem, digital technologies have been gaining prevalence, market share, and clinical applicability for years. In the 21st century, the ubiquity of these innovative advancements is increasing. On the leadership front, many health systems have been lagging behind in terms of bringing the digital age into the C-suite, but that calculus now seems to be irrevocably changing.