Daily Archives: June 22, 2017

Confessions of a marketing automation addict – MarTech Today

Posted: June 22, 2017 at 5:07 am

Let me get this out of the way: Im a technology geek and a marketing aficionado. I adore working with marketing automation to drive business. The bright thrill of success bubbles over when various marketing technologies are stacked together to improve the user experience and boost engagement that results in sales.

Nothing is better than building the digital pathway. For example, consider a lead who visits a well-designed Drupal web page and submits a form. Data runs directly to a marketing automation tool like Eloqua. Eloqua then engages with the lead through a variety of processes and sends pertinent information to Salesforce.Using Salesforce, the sales team can see who they should contact to close the sale.

My affinity for marketing automation is validated. Its the wave of the future. In fact, it continues to be one of the fastest-growing technologies in the marketing stack, according to Aberdeen Group.

And it works. A June 2016 survey highlighted that email one of the core uses for marketing automation had a median ROI of 122 percent, more than four times higher than other marketing formats examined.

But alas, marketing automation is not the only component of a marketing mix that effectively generates and converts leads to buyers.There are other non-digital options that, to a marketing automation disciple, are frightening.

Two shining stars that are on the rise for marketing effectiveness are direct mail and in-person events.Both techniques have greater longevity than marketing automation, and they have both evolved in order to remain valuable.

But how can these analog tactics be effective in a world where digital usage is on the rise?Without technology to pave the way, how can lead engagements be managed?

Below is a brief description of these tactics the how and why they produce successful results is included as a guidepost for digital junkies like me who want to begin taking advantage of these more tangible options in the marketing mix.

Known for high ROI results, in-person events deliver the opportunity for non-directive, face-to-face interaction and experience-sharing, helping to generate net-new leads.They are also key to escorting existing buyers through multiple stages of the funnel, recycling old buyers and delivering qualified, sales-ready leads.

These four tips from industry experts will ensure event participation produces results:

Direct mail is actually on the upswing. In 2016, customer response rates increased 43 percent year over year, and prospect response rates rose 190 percent.

Direct mail, which provides a tangible medium through which leads can engage, helps shift the brain into a deeper level of engagement while building knowledge. Strong engagement and conversion rates are the results.

Even better, direct mail avoids many of the challenges of the digital world like (email) sender reputation, spam traps, bounce rates or IP-blocking.

While it evolved from spraying a batch of postcards to everyone, direct mail is now highly customized for the intended target (thanks to the digital world!).Forbes Summer Gould provides these four tips for customizing and engaging leads:

Yes, neither direct mail nor in-person events are digital-based.And maybe thats the point.

However, all is not lost for this marketing automation junkie. After all, marketing automation and other digital tools escalate the impact of direct mail and in-person events.

Marketing automation powers the invitations that drive attendees to in-person events.And it powers the follow-up communication that is a must to maintain the conversations started on the showroom floor.

Data from digital engagements provides the basis for direct mail campaigns to help you focus on a specific target.Not only does the data help with segmentation, but marketing automation enables you to personalize it in the online realm.

Though the trend for digital usage remains on the rise, we still live in a world of 360-degree interactions. And not all engagements can be managed by a marketing automation platform.

Some opinions expressed in this article may be those of a guest author and not necessarily MarTech Today. Staff authors are listed here.

Read more from the original source:

Confessions of a marketing automation addict - MarTech Today

Posted in Automation | Comments Off on Confessions of a marketing automation addict – MarTech Today

Will Automation Solve the Ongoing Risk of Aviation Crew Fatigue? – BRINK

Posted: at 5:07 am

Some have suggested that automation can relieve crews from having to deal with routine tasks to ease their workday, and thanks to the data generation and advanced computational capabilities of the newest generation of aircraft, more options for task automation are emerging.

Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Like most prescription drugs, the remedy sometimes has unexpected side effects. So it is for automation, when applied as a solution to aviations ongoing problem of crew fatigue. While artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics hold much promise for task automation on aircraft, airlines may want to coordinate any automation efforts with state-of-the-art crew fatigue management plans for the best results.

The risk of crew fatigue persists for airlines, despite the 2013 flight-time regulations known as FAR 117 from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The rules incorporated the latest in fatigue science, but similar rules have yet to be adopted worldwide, and the science of fatigue management itself has continued to advance.

Fatigue is not just about being tired; sleep will remedy being tired. Fatigue is cumulative, the product of an incomplete recovery from days of insufficient sleep. It affects people who consistently work long hours under stressful conditions, and for aviation, its consequences include declining health and productivity of flight crews, rising staff attrition and safety concerns.

Some have suggested that automation can relieve crews from having to deal with routine tasks to ease their workday, and thanks to the data generation and advanced computational capabilities of the newest generation of aircraft, more options for task automation are emerging.

While airplanes have long been able to fly on autopilot, researchers are now testing resilient machine-learning-based autopilot systems that can adapt to changing conditions and even crises. These systems learn from experienced pilots how to react to situations, rather than having to be explicitly hard coded with instructions for every conceivable circumstance.

Ultimately, technology is likely to evolve over time to the point where one cockpit crew member is able to handle a sizable chunk of a flight, with automation as the co-pilota potential boon given the anticipated pilot shortage. Eventually, a remote pilot on the ground could take the second cockpit seat on some flights or flight segments. But those advances are many years off.

Among other future automation possibilities are artificial-intelligence-based weather and radar monitoring that allows pilots to see a more complete picture of the weather ahead without consulting several different monitoring systems and electronic stability and protection systems that monitor and maintain the altitude of an airplane even when autopilot is off. Also being tested are virtual assistants that use speech recognition and voice commands to alert crew members of cockpit tasks that need to be completed.

Of course, technology is even tackling the fatigue question with the development of machines that monitor fatigue and adjust the level of automation to ensure sufficient crew engagement. For instance, the trucking industry already uses a system to monitor eye and eyelid movements of drivers to ensure they are alert.

Still, automation is not a panacea and may introduce unexpected risks. Research suggests that reducing or eliminating the stimulation of manual tasks may slow reaction times and bring other fatigue symptoms to the fore. One danger is the phenomenon of microsleepingmoments when part of your brain goes offline, so to speak, while other parts may remain in wake mode. The phenomenon has been identified as a frequent cause of automobile accidents.

The smart way to incorporate automation is by developing a long-term crew fatigue strategy that recognizes automations risks as well as its rewards. A robust fatigue management strategy includes conducting a detailed assessment of fatigue causes; correlating data on actual duty times and activities with fatigue reporting; gathering crew feedback through interviews; and developing a fatigue risk management system that focuses first and foremost on fatigue prevention.

A big part of prevention is developing realistic and resilient crew schedules that incorporate the latest in fatigue science and accurately reflect the challenging operational environment. FAR 117 has gone a long way to begin that process, but in some cases, regulations have fallen short on addressing the full spectrum of issues that lead to fatigue.

While rules exist that govern how many hours crews can work (and how often they can work overtime), regulations vary by geographic market, and limits on flight duty periods do not always take into account more qualitative factors, such as tough routes, cumulative schedule intensity (such as during the busy summer travel season), and the impact of standby duty.

Before making decisions on task automation, it is important to determine which phases of flight present higher risks for fatigue. And, for days when things dont go as planned, standard protocols need to include enough emphasis on crew fatigue and the impact of the disruption on crews.

As airlines adopt technology to collect and analyze the reams of technical flight and equipment data being generated, they have an opportunity to incorporate into those new systems capabilities to gather more information on human factors that could provide greater insights into fatigue.

No doubt, this is a tricky balancing act for both airlines and regulators. Still, the payoff for good fatigue management coupled with cautious adoption of AI systems can be substantialexcellent safety records, higher crew productivity, and happier customers.

URL: http://www.brinknews.com/will-automation-solve-the-ongoing-risk-of-aviation-crew-fatigue/

Go here to see the original:

Will Automation Solve the Ongoing Risk of Aviation Crew Fatigue? - BRINK

Posted in Automation | Comments Off on Will Automation Solve the Ongoing Risk of Aviation Crew Fatigue? – BRINK

Celebrating Juneteenth: From quilts to homes, Ellis County once proved pivotal for African-Americans seeking freedom – Waxahachie Daily Light

Posted: at 5:06 am

By ALEXIS BIERMAN | news@waxahachietx.com

WAXAHACHIE As General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston to announce the abolition of slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865, African-Americans rejoiced.

They had broken the chains of slavery as free Americans.

One-hundred-and-fifty-two years later, Texas continues to observe the holiday as a way of paying homage to the hardships that African-Americans were faced with just over a century-and-a-half ago. And, while the entirety of Texas played a role in the billion-dollar industry, Ellis County helped pave the way.

The largest cotton-producing county in the early 1900s, Ellis County became prime real estate for those seeking to flee the new anti-slavery policy put into effect by the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln. However, because Texas was not labeled a battleground state, slave owners began flocking to the area in hopes that their "property" wouldnt be affected by the executive order.

With these new challenges in mind, slaves in the Confederate South began exploring new ways to flee, explains Dr. Jamal Rasheed, author, producer and owner of the Ellis County African American Hall of Fame in Waxahachie.

In 1936, a gentleman named Victor Hugo Green produced The Negro Motorist Green Book, which we just call 'The Green Book,' Rasheed said. In it was listed all of the places in the south that were safe for African Americans to travel to and stay for safety. In that book, there were four houses that are located right here in Waxahachie.

Various other memorabilia can be found in the Ellis County African-American Hall of Fame, where African-Americans and some Caucasians are recognized for their role in both the slave-era and Civil Rights Movement. In the renovated space that formerly acted as a meeting ground for African-Americans attending prom, there lies hundreds of photographs, preserved artifacts and patterned quilts.

Though deemed a beautiful decoration at first glance, one would never know the momentous role the stitched fabric once played in the lives of slaves.

These quilts provided directions to slaves who were traveling along the Underground Railroad, Rasheed explained. They would tell them which way to go for a different passage. Each of the quilts told them where a railroad was using stitched designs and colors that told them which way to go.

With staggering facts and living proof of the lengths enslaved people took to find freedom, it is difficult to understand how an entire race was capable of such cruelty; even scarier, in our very own backyard. But despite the inhumane racial climate hundreds of years ago, the Chicago-native says people should be happy with how far the country has come.

All of you should be pleased with what you see, Rasheed said. You see a multi-cultured community. You see integrated and multicolored schools. Youre here in a place that years ago, you couldnt stand. I had a guy walk up to me and say, Rasheed, I used to shine shoes around that corner. Couldnt come over here. I had to fight my way across the tracks, but now you dont have to do that anymore. Now that word is out that you have all of these capabilities, you have the opportunity to do all of these things that you couldnt do before June 19th. You have the opportunity to make that beloved community that Martin Luther King talked about.

However, Rasheed wants the community to know that there is still plenty of work to be done.

What Juneteenth should represent isnt how far the African-American community has come, but how much of the future we still have to plan, he said. We still have to plan our future, and in doing that, it must be inclusive- not segregated. June 19th slowly opened up the doors for opportunity. Let us hope that it continues to open up those doors.

Anyone looking to visit the museum can go to 441 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Waxahachie.

Here is the original post:

Celebrating Juneteenth: From quilts to homes, Ellis County once proved pivotal for African-Americans seeking freedom - Waxahachie Daily Light

Posted in Abolition Of Work | Comments Off on Celebrating Juneteenth: From quilts to homes, Ellis County once proved pivotal for African-Americans seeking freedom – Waxahachie Daily Light

The Nat Turner Project Creates Literal Space For Artists of Color In "The June Show" – Willamette Week

Posted: at 5:06 am

Sitting in sagging vintage chairs at Anna Bannanas in St. John's, the two curators behind the Nat Turner Project explain why their collaboration is named after the 1831 slave rebellion leader.

"We wanted to make noise" says maximiliano, co-founder of NTP, which is dedicated to works by artists of color. "We wanted to disrupt."

So it's strange how empty and almost serene their new show at c3:initiative's gallery space initially seems. In the main gallery, there's a TV mounted on a wall playing a video installation; hanging from the ceiling in a far corner, there's a bag of blood-red apples sagging from a net made of hair. But the rest of the works in Jaleesa Johnston's Territories of (E/e)nlightenmentsix sparse collages on white and beige canvasalmost blend into the walls. Sharyll Burroughs' interactive Reintegration, is tucked behind a heavy black curtain in a small room off the main gallery space.

But the bareness is kind of a meditativeyou can give each work your full attention without running out of brain juice before you've reached the end of the exhibit. Plus, it's totally intentional. "How much space a work gets I feel like speaks to the value of that work and the gravity it's considered with," says NTP's other founder Melanie Stevens.

According to Stevens and maximiliano (both recent graduates of one of PNCA's MFA programs), artists of color in Portland don't usually that kind of space. "When you're an artist of color, there's this idea that identity art has to be packaged a certain way," says Stevens.

As Steven puts it, NTP formed out of a desire to "create this environment so that one artist of color does not have to represent an entire barrage of voices." That means giving the artists of color they work with as much freedom as possible, and not exclusively presenting their art as "identity art." So the odd location of their first show (which opened last August), was almost idealthe works were displayed in a PNCA bathroom. An upperclassman started the tradition, and when he graduated, NTP took over. "He tried to imitate a white box gallery," says maximiliano. "We wanted to be like 'Here's this unconventional space, what can you do with it?'"

In honor of Juneteenth (the celebration of the abolition of slavery), both of the artists in the first of NTP's two shows at c3 are black women. Burroughs' Reintigration has a simple premise: Participants can walk into to the dim room one at a time, where Burroughs sits at a table with a chess clock on it. Projected on the wall behind her is a photo of two figurines constructed according to Plantation-era South stereotypes, gilded in gold and enlarged to take up half the wall. She instructs the participant that they're going to say then-word back and forth for two minutes. The chess clock is for those who choose to tap out.

Johnston's series of collages are at first unassuming and almost surreal: They depict bodies that are headless, and sometimes just reduced to just legs and arms. But they begin to feel like they're giving off a kind of desperation. They're so close to being vibrant and intimate, but the bodies are fractured in a way that seems to intentionally deprive them of the humanity they'd otherwise achieve. On one of the canvases, two disembodied arms reach out to touch hands.

When the duo behind NTP talk about creating space for artists of color, they seamlessly transition from talking about physical space and conceptual freedom. "Discomfort is our mission," says maximiliano, "But I don't know if I would necessarily say that all our shows are about discomfort, because it's still the artist's agenda and what they want."

"Stripping away the pressure to be one voice representing all of the voices," adds Stevens, "is I think the biggest disruption that you can make in this environmentletting works by an artist of color stand on their own."

SEE IT: The June Show is at c3:initiative, 7526 N Chicago Ave., c3initiative.org. Through July 1.

Read more:

The Nat Turner Project Creates Literal Space For Artists of Color In "The June Show" - Willamette Week

Posted in Abolition Of Work | Comments Off on The Nat Turner Project Creates Literal Space For Artists of Color In "The June Show" – Willamette Week

GLOW Chop-Drops Stereotypes – Film/TV – The Stranger – TheStranger.com

Posted: at 5:05 am

Loosely based on the real-life TV show Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, which aired from 1986 to 1990, Liz Flahive and Carly Menschs fictionalized Netflix series GLOW exhumes the dusty spandex, mile-high hairdos, and Bon Jovi anthems for campy and contemplative fun.

Set in mid-1980s Los Angeles, GLOW tells the story of 12 struggling actors who are chosen to star in an all-female wrestling show. But first, they must learn how to wrestle! Marc Maron plays the series cynical writer/director Sam Sylvia, who reluctantly participates in the project between snorts of coke. His leading Gorgeous Ladies are the volcanic protagonist Debbie, aka Liberty Bell (Betty Gilpin), and Ruth, aka Zoya the Destroyer (Alison Brie), who once wronged Debbie outside of the ring and is now trying to accept her position as the leagues heel.

Though GLOW often centers on this rivalry, its driven by the other wrestlers internal conflicts. In one key scene the shows young producer, Bash (Chris Lowell)whos got the oily charm of Rob Lowes character in Waynes Worldinsists that wrestling is about type. Youre a sexy party girl, youre an Arab, gesticulating at Arthie, aka the Terrorist (Sunita Mani). She immediately corrects him: You mean stereotype.

These Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling are mostly actors who reached for the moon and landed in space junk. They wanted Hollywood, but got a ramshackle warehouse in the San Fernando Valley. They wanted real parts, but got roles thatre completely reductive. When they complain, Sylvia encourages the women to wrestle with these stereotypes for personal empowerment. But its not like they have a choicethey have to surrender something for success. And theyre all too familiar with this double standard: Its almost always a man telling you your ass is too fat at the same time hes trying to grope it, Ruth says in the second episode.

Be patient with GLOWthe series takes a few episodes to warm up. Once it does, youll find a refreshing mix of wit, drama, and body slams, all dressed up in the gaudy glamor of the 1980s.

Go here to see the original:

GLOW Chop-Drops Stereotypes - Film/TV - The Stranger - TheStranger.com

Posted in Personal Empowerment | Comments Off on GLOW Chop-Drops Stereotypes – Film/TV – The Stranger – TheStranger.com

Mastercard, Western Union Designing Digital Solutions for Refugees – Paybefore

Posted: at 5:05 am

Mastercard and Western Union have teamed up to help refugees around the world access goods, services and financial services within refugee settlements. Announced on June 20World Refugee Daythe partnership will explore ways to use a digital model to serve the more than 65 million people around the world currently displaced from their homes due to political conflict and natural disasters.

The collaboration will aim to enable refugees, their host communities and donors to send and receive funds digitally, creating more transparency and long-term empowerment of refugees, according to Mastercard and Western Union.

Over the past year, the firms studied a pair of settlement camps in northwestern Kenya to examine the needs, challenges and opportunities for refugees and their host communities. The findings led to the development of Smart Communities: Using Digital Technology to Create Sustainable Refugee Economies, a blueprint designed to serve refugees by combining digital access to remittances, banking, education, health care and other basic needs in way that is unified and trackable.

The model emphasizes digital solutions including the delivery of mobile money, digital vouchers and prepaid cards, noted Maureen Sigliano, head of customer relationship management, Western Union. The goal is to drive personal empowerment, stimulate growth and promote social cohesion among the worlds refugee populations, while driving better governance and transparency, she said.

Both Mastercard and Western Union are founding members of the Tent Partnership for Refugees, a coalition of more than 70 companies committed to addressing the global refugee crisis. In 2016, Mastercard was named Pay Awards Change Agent of the Year for its Mastercard Aid Network, an end-to-end solution that streamlines humanitarian aid distribution by using debit cards preloaded with credits for physical goods such as food and medicine. Mastercard later expanded the aid network by combining it with the networks money transfer and prepaid capabilities to offer other forms of aid, including digital cash and vouchers.

The private sector is uniquely positioned to bring greater innovation and ingenuity to this crisis, said Gideon Maltz, executive director of Tent. The Mastercard-Western Union initiative reflects the contributions that companies can make when they identify problems, collaborate with each other, and work tirelessly to find and fund scalable solutions to fix them, added Maltz.

Related stories:

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 21st, 2017 at 2:13 pm and is filed under

.

Read the rest here:

Mastercard, Western Union Designing Digital Solutions for Refugees - Paybefore

Posted in Personal Empowerment | Comments Off on Mastercard, Western Union Designing Digital Solutions for Refugees – Paybefore

Banishing the ‘motherhood penalty’: How to make a successful career comeback – Women’s Agenda

Posted: at 5:05 am

To close the gender gap at work, we need to seriously improve the opportunities available to women who return from taking a career break to have children.

Thats according to Professor Julie Cogin, Director of the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) and Deputy Dean of UNSW Business School, and someone who personally saw her career transformed when she had children in the 1990s. She was able to pursue a flexible consulting career while they were young, after a former employer had supported her through her postgraduate studies.

Julies passionate about the role education can play in a career comeback for parents who take a break. To help, the AGSM is now offering 10 sponsorships to mums and dads whore looking for a professional pathway to get an edge on returning to the workforce following a career break as well as a professional network and personal empowerment.

Julies particularly concerned about the workforce participation gap between mothers and fathers of young children, with 60 percent of women with children under the age of five working part-time, compared with 10 percent of men with children the same age. Women aged 25 44 are more than two and a half times as likely as their male counter parts to be out of the labour workforce.

Such gaps continue to follow women throughout their careers, on top of the motherhood penalty which sees womens wages fall by 4% for every child they have, compared with the eight per cent average wage increase men experience when they become fathers.

The financial impact of a career break is often significant, impacting future employment, wages, superannuation contributions and financial security, says Julie.

Despite this, and the bias that still unfortunately faces many women looking to return to the workforce, Julie notes there are plenty of supporting organisations and programs that aim to help.

When planning a re-entry I would target organisations that have a proven commitment to women, especially those that have programs in place to attract and retain women as well activities to accelerate womens careers. Take a look at the composition of the executive team and board, if relevant as this provides some evidence of commitment. Some companies may even be recognised as an employer of choice for women. Indeed, Julies own research in the area has found that the key attributes affecting the take-up and positive outcomes of family-friendly work practices often stem from the collective characteristics of a firms senior leadership team. So it pays to get familiar with the values such teams actually support.

Below, Julie shares advice on what women can do to prepare for their own career comeback.

Get clarity. The first step is to consider your ambitions and exactly what you want to do the jobs you want, and your plan for getting it. While some women may lack some confidence at this point, especially if theyve taken a number of years out of the workforce, Julie says the best path forward is to uncover your goals and needs first and to avoid being indecisive on your career aspirations when applying for roles.

Do a skills audit. Once youve got clarity on your next move, take a look at the skills youll need. Consider the skills you had before taking a career break, as well as the skills youve gained since becoming a parent. Now consider what skills are necessary for the roles youre looking to access. Are their gaps in your knowledge base? Have you invested in developing skills that will help you in the workforce? Do you need a knowledge refresh, or to top up on the existing skills that you have? Consider again the role your network can play, particularly in getting advice from mentors or coaches.

Address the gaps. This is the action phase of your career comeback, and its where you explore options for addressing any gaps in your skills set. This may involve short courses, attending conferences and seminars, or again working to expand your network. From there, address your resume and start applying for the positions youre interested in.

Dont assume people are making assumptions. While some unconscious bias still affects parents whore returning to the workforce, dont assume employers are making assumptions about you. Dont assume that a flexible position isnt available, even in a senior leadership position. Dont assume a potential employer is wondering how youre going to manage a new workload with kids at home. And dont assume, especially if youve taken a long break, that your profession or industry has advanced beyond your ability to catch up.

Build your network. Draw on your network for ideas, advice and even to put in a good word with their own contacts. Julie suggests finding parents whore in a similar situation like-minded individuals who can appreciate the life change youve recently had, and can offer support on making the move back in the workforce. Bring mentors and/or coaches into your network.

Womens Agenda has partnered with AGSM on promoting their call out to parents on a career break to apply for one of ten AGSM Career Comeback Sponsorships on offer. These sponsorships cover a number of short courses with the university, as well as some travel and childcare expenses.

Read the rest here:

Banishing the 'motherhood penalty': How to make a successful career comeback - Women's Agenda

Posted in Personal Empowerment | Comments Off on Banishing the ‘motherhood penalty’: How to make a successful career comeback – Women’s Agenda

Under the Lights – PopMatters

Posted: at 5:05 am

(Independent) US: 16 Jun 2017 UK: 16 Jun 2017

Midnight North is set to release Under the Lights on June 16, and their third studio album finds the band continuing to develop their rootsy Americana rock sound with the musical soul and infectious harmonies theyve become known for. The San Francisco Bay Area band has been spreading its wings over the past couple years, venturing from the comfortable nest of their traditional Sunday night gigs at Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael for some genuine touring that has helped develop both their musical prowess and songwriting. The results show on the new album, indicating a band that is slowly but surely growing into its prime.

Formed around the talents of female singer/guitarist/keyboardist Elliott Peck and singer/guitarist Grahame Lesh (son of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh), Midnight North presents a sonic dichotomy between the country-flavored tunes that Peck seems to favor and the more rock-oriented sound that Lesh leans toward. But these worlds arent so far apart, as evidenced by how the bands stellar vocal harmonies work so well in both contexts. Multi-talented keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Alex Jordan is a factor here as well, another regular in the Terrapin Crossroads scene whos ready and able to fill the shoes of Bob Weir, Jerry Garcia, or Brent Mydland on any given night. Bassist Connor OSullivan rounds out the core lineup (another multi-instrumentalist who contributes some mandolin on occasion), while the band is currently still seeking a permanent drummer.

The blend between their rock side and their country/folk side is actually what makes Midnight North a relatively unique band, with a sound thats sort of like a cross between the classic rock of the late 60s/early 70s with the Johnny Cash & June Carter show from the same era. Peck even namedrops Johnny & June specifically in the albums lead single, The Highway Song. Its an uptempo, country-tinged gem where Peck shines singing about meeting up on the road to work on some music.

The groups sonic polarity is clearly illustrated when comparing The Highway Song with the second single, the title track that also kicks off the album with an electrifying charge. Those who favor Midnight Norths more rocking side will dig the high-energy rocker thats had some of the bands local fans wondering whether it was an original tune or an obscure classic rock gem that Lesh had unearthed (as bands at Terrapin often do). Under the Lights sounds like it could have come from the Almost Famous soundtrack of 70s classic rock, yet it has a fresh 21st-century vibrancy. The song shows Lesh growing into his own as a songwriter devoted to the rock n roll life.

That devotion to the rock lifestyle and the sacrifices it entails with life on the road and in the spotlight is a running theme on the album. Playing a Poor Hand Well finds the group building on the foundation of previous endearing fan favorites like Stayin Single Drinkin Doubles with Peck delivering a bluesy country rock vocal about making the best of things. Theres also some timely horn arrangements here that recall the Band (whom Midnight North have covered frequently). The horns are employed to add some upbeat accents to the celebratory Everyday as well, with Lesh singing about miracles on the road. Back to California fits in this theme too, a mid-tempo Lesh number where he blends the longing of being away from home with the catharsis of returning to the Golden State.

Midnight North cracks the code on Roamin, a dynamic, syncopated rocker with a bluesy undercurrent where the three vocalists harmonize together on the choruses after divvying up the verses. The bands multi-dimensional harmonies are on full display here, conjuring a rich sound that takes full advantage of their talents. Echoes is a bluesy rocker in a similar vein, with Leshs soulful verses again boosted by Pecks harmonies on the chorus about following ones dreams and facing your fears only when ready. Tunes like these bring to mind comparisons with the Tedeschi Trucks Band, another blues rock oriented group with deep connections in the jam rock scene. Midnight North doesnt have a virtuoso instrumentalist like Derek Trucks, but Pecks range is in Susan Tedeschis ballpark, so its fitting that theyve slipped a dynamite cover of TTBs Midnight in Harlem into their live repertoire (could a bluegrassy re-arrangement of Judas Priests Living After Midnight be next?)

Peck is hard to pigeonhole as she takes a bluesier turn herself on Headline from Kentucky, then switches gears for an upbeat country sound of personal empowerment on One Night Stand. Theres also a more solemn country vibe on Green County, where she relates a breakup that occurs by phone because shes not coming home. Jordan contributes a melodic acoustic-oriented number with Little Black Dog that finds the band having fun with the three-part harmonies.

Could Midnight North be more of a musical force if they focused on their rock side? Quite possibly. But theyve made the artistic decision to deal from a more diverse deck, and its the blend with the country/folk side that makes them stand out from the pack as a band with deep roots in American popular music.

Greg M. Schwartz has covered music and pop culture for PopMatters since 2006. He focuses on events coverage with a preference for guitar-driven rock 'n' roll, but has eclectic tastes for the golden age of sound that is the 21st century music scene. He has a soft spot for music with a socially conscious flavor and is also an award-winning investigative reporter. Follow him on Twitter at @gms111, where he's always looking for tips on new bands or under the radar news items.

Original post:

Under the Lights - PopMatters

Posted in Personal Empowerment | Comments Off on Under the Lights – PopMatters

Religious freedom isn’t just for Hobby Lobby it’s for indigenous rights, too – Salon

Posted: at 5:05 am

This article originally appeared on Grist.

Last week, the Standing Rock Sioux celebrated what they believe isa ground-breaking legal victoryin the protracted fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in its expedited review of the pipeline, which was ordered by President Trump shortly after taking office. According to Judge James Boasberg, the Army Corps did not adequately consider the impacts of an oil spill on fishing rights, hunting rights, or environmental justice.

On Wednesday, the parties in the DAPL case will appear in court for a hearing about how to respond to the NEPA ruling. Oil could stop the flowing under Lake Oahe, the fourth-largest dam reservoir in the Dakotas. But that stoppage would be temporary.

If the Army Corps does revise its environmental assessment, the court could allow the pipeline to resume operation. The court and the Army Corps would have served environmental justice under NEPA merely by paying lip service to the struggle for indigenous rights in the United States.

Lake Oahe stands at the center of a painful, decades-long story regarding the marginalization of Native Americans. In 1958, the Army Corps took over 200,000 acres from the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux, forcing them from their homes and sacred religious sites, so it could build a dam. Fast-forward nearly 60 years, and the reservoir created by the dam draws a million yearly tourists to its more than 50 recreational sites. Its under the Siouxs once hallowed ground now at the bottom of Lake Oahe where the Army Corps decided to route part of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Earlier this year, as I was completing my law degree at New York University, President Trump fast-tracked the projects completion. In the legal battles that ensued, teams of lawyers both large and small took up the cause of the tribes and the thousands of pipeline activists that joined them, collectively known as water protectors.

Benjamin Eichert, director of the grassroots movement Greenpower, formed the Lakota Peoples Legal Project to highlight the statutory issues regarding the construction of the pipeline. I joined the effort as legal researcher.

The oil flowing under Lake Oahe is not only a potential environmental calamity, it is a dagger through the heart of the Sioux tribes and the NEPA ruling, while certainly a win, will not offer meaningful justice to those at Standing Rock.

One unlikely legal strategy that nearly did and could loom large in future fights to protect indigenous land is the Religious Restoration Freedom Act, a fan-favorite amongst the religious right.

Conservatives successfully employed the statute to argue that corporations with deeply-held religious beliefs, like the arts-and-crafts chain Hobby Lobby, could deny contraceptive coverage to female employees. In 2014, the Supreme Court sided with Hobby Lobby, finding that providing that perk against its corporate values constituted a substantial burden on the companys free exercise of religion.

In February of this year, attorneys for the Sioux tribes turned to the same playbook when seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the completion of the Dakota Access Pipeline under Lake Oahe. They argued that its construction desecrated the sole water source for the sacredInipiceremony and would release untold calamities upon the Cheyenne River Sioux, as prophesied by their elders.

The argument framed the #noDAPL movement as an indigenous rights issue and not just an administrative violation for the first time in the legal realm.

Judge Boasberg pressed attorneys for the Sioux on whether they attributed the religious burden to the pipeline itself or the oil flowing through it. When the lawyers conceded that it was the oil which wouldnt flow for a few more weeks the court found the pipeline would not present an imminent harm to the Siouxs religious practices.

While the argument collapsed in this case of DAPL, its worked in the past. In 2008, a federal judge in Oklahoma granted an injunction in response to a religious freedom claim by the Comanche tribe against the United States government. The ruling prevented the construction of a military warehouse that would block the last clear view of the Medicine Bluffs, an essential vista for the tribes religious practices.

With numerous other encroachments onto indigenous land on the horizon, the religious freedom argument remains viable and relevant, with the Medicine Bluffs case as a hopeful precedent. The Trump administration may construct a border wall on burial sites in Arizonas Tohono Oodham Nation. And its moving toopen up the sacred Bears Ears National Monumentin Utah to industrial development.

Using the Religious Restoration Freedom Act to connect environmentalism with indigenous rights does far more for environmental justice than procedural laws like NEPA. In the legal and grassroots battles to come, we should remember that these legal challenges are not just about oil spills or environmental impact statements, they are about the very fabric that unites a people.

Read the original here:

Religious freedom isn't just for Hobby Lobby it's for indigenous rights, too - Salon

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off on Religious freedom isn’t just for Hobby Lobby it’s for indigenous rights, too – Salon

US bishops launch 2017 Fortnight for Freedom – Catholic News Agency

Posted: at 5:05 am

Washington D.C., Jun 21, 2017 / 09:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The U.S. bishops have launched a website and video to mark the beginning of this years Fortnight for Freedom, focusing on religious freedom issues both at home and abroad.

The video, about ten minutes long and viewable on the Fortnight for Freedom website, features a number of legal, religious, and other personalities discussing the importance of religious liberty. The Fortnight for Freedom takes place June 21 - July 4.

Religious freedom is one of the basic freedoms of the human person because without religious freedom, the freedom of conscience, all other freedoms are without foundation, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami says at the beginning of the video.

A government that doesnt acknowledge limits on its own power to regulate religious institutions is probably going to come after other institutions as well, said Professor Rick Garnett of the Notre Dame Law School.

The video chronicles the struggle between the Little Sisters of the Poor and the HHS mandate of the Affordable Care Act.

Its over three now that this issue has been pursuing us, says Sr. Constance, L.S.P.

Testimonies from beneficiaries of the Sisters work are showcased in the video.

There is a spiritual component in the way that they live their lives that adds to not only enrichment of the residents lives but to those who are in contact with them, who work with them, who just hear about them, says Carmel Kang.

When religious freedom goes away, and there is no transcendent authority, then the law is the only norm, and the people in power now are always the only power, says Professor Helen Alvare of George Mason University Law School.

The video emphasizes the United States historical connection to freedom of religion.

The United States is the greatest country in the history of the world precisely because of the exceptional character of its relationship to faith which permeates every dimension of its evolution, says Eugene Rivers II, an activist and Pentecostal pastor.

The video also highlighted the struggle of religious peoples in other parts of the world.

Tragically, we see the killings, the martyrdom of Christians in Iraq, and Libya, and Egypt, Syria, says Archbishop Wenski. The video then showed clips from the video of 21 Coptic Christians being martyred by the Islamic State in early 2015.

Professor Thomas Farr of Georgetown University noted the increased threat since the Obergefell vs. Hodges Supreme Court decision in June 2015, and also observed that viewpoints motivated by religion are being silenced.

The video also summarized Dignitatis humanae, the Second Vatican Councils declaration on religious freedom, as well as noting Pope Francis concern for persecuted Christians around the world.

We have to bring not just optimism, but genuine Christian hope, says Archbishop Lori of Baltimore, head of the USCCBs Committee on Religious Liberty, which was made a permanent structure of the conference at their annual spring meeting last week.

The video closed with a montage of scenes and figures including the Selma to Montgomery March, St. John Paul II, and the collapse of the Berlin Wall. The USCCBs Fortnight for Freedom website provides a host of prayer and practical resources on the topic of religious freedom.

The prayer resources are based in Scripture as well as the examples of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher, and are available in both English and Spanish.

Among the practical resources is a brief guide to the issue, which seeks to defend and clarify the bishops views, responding to concerns that defense of liberty is an affront to treating people with equal dignity.

Also included are summaries of religious liberty concerns in the United States and internationally. Domestically, issues listed include the HHS mandate, the right to practice faith in business, and religious institutes right to aid undocumented immigrants. Internationally, concerns are presented from the Central African Republic, Myanmar, and Mexico.

On May 4, the National Day of Prayer, President Trump signed an executive order on religious liberty while surrounded by faith leaders, including Cardinal Donald Wuerl of D.C. and the Little Sisters of the Poor. The order called for agencies to consider different enforcement of the mandate and looser enforcement of the Johnson Amendment. It was modified from an earlier, leaked version which critics claimed would have allowed for unjust discrimination of LGBT people.

On May 31, a draft rule providing blanket protection from the mandate was leaked.

The bishops website does not include the Johnson Amendment among its concerns.

Read the original:

US bishops launch 2017 Fortnight for Freedom - Catholic News Agency

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off on US bishops launch 2017 Fortnight for Freedom – Catholic News Agency