SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 10: (L-R) Alicia Keys, Syliva Rhone and Sara Bareilles attend the ... [+] City Of Hope's Spirit of Life 2019 Gala held at The Barker Hanger on October 10, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/Getty Images)

As I recently wrote about after seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers play a backyard party, Oceana has become one of the most beloved charities by musicians (link below). The most beloved?

After Beyonce played last year and Alicia Keys and Sara Bareilles teamed up for a joint performance this year, it's hard to argue against City of Hope. What they achieve on a yearly basis with their Spirit of Life gala is dazzling.

It's not hard to figure out why. As City of Hope President/CEO Robert Stone told me, "Cancer touches everyone, and you have someone stand up there and tell the story. And everyone in the audience, I promise you, are thinking the same things: 'That could be me' or 'That's my loved one.' And the whole evening is about providing hope. We're gonna have a great evening with entertainment, we're gonna celebrate. But at the end of the day it comes back to providing hope."

The secret to why these events are so successful is the mix of the personal touch and the entertainment. Take this year's event, held October 10 in Santa Monica, which raised more than $4 million for City of Hope. The musical lineup was, as always, stellar.

Starting with opener Yolanda Adams, everyone, who had a personal connection to honoree, Epic Records President/CEO Sylvia Rhone, delivered. Especially Keys and Barreilles, who came out together, with Keys on piano as Bareilles sang Keys' hit "If I Ain't Got You," then switching places as Keys sang Bareilles' "Gravity," before teaming up teaming up to perform a mashup of their hits "Girl On Fire" and "Brave" for a once in a lifetime collaboration. Then all five members of En Vogue, past and present, teaming up for the first time ever to perform some of their signature songs, such as "Free Your Mind" and "Hold On."

As great as the music was, it was just one part of a night where the focus was on the City of Hope and the good they do for patients battling cancer and other illnesses.

For instance, on this night, superstar producer Kuk Harrell came up and shared his story of how he got involved with City of Hope in part from last year's honoree, Big Jon Platt. Two days before the event he and I spoke and he gave me the in-depth version of what City of Hope did for him as he battled prostate cancer and why he was at Spirit of Life as a cancer survivor first and musician second.

"I will say 100 percent it was definitely miraculous. Having my care at City of Hope was fitting for me because when I was diagnosed late 2017 and had my surgery scheduled in October of 2018, being diagnosed, it was definitely hard. But I've always been a person who looks at everything from the positive side. I've never been a doom and gloom person," Harrell said. "My faith has definitely been the mainstay of all this and when I got diagnosed I had my surgery and six weeks after my surgery, realized my surgery went well. They took out my prostate, they were able to preserve all the nerves. But I had a small positive margin at the neck of the bladder and my surgeon told me because I had that, if anything else I would have to do seven weeks of low-dose radiation treatment. I live down here in Florida, I went to a place down here in Florida and I met with the radiation oncologist here and I just didn't feel comfortable with it, I didn't feel like it was the right place and I put a call out to my manager, Jay Brown at Roc Nation, who was very aware of my situation because we all work together. He said, 'Give me five minutes, I'll call you right back.' He made a call to big Jon, who said, 'Someone from City of Hope is going to be calling you within the hour.' I think four people called right after that. And I felt right away I was at more peace with the whole thing. And then fast forward to when it was time to meet with my medical oncologist, I flew out to L.A., met with her and right away I felt more hope than anything."

The hope they give patients is why music industry figures like Platt and Rhone, who DJ Khaled called, "A legend, an icon, and a music mogul," agree to step out from behind the scenes and make rare forays into the limelight. It's because of the cause.

"To me, City of Hope means doctors, researchers and community. They create miracles that make lives whole again, and my friend Kuk Harrell is proof of that. I am proud to be associated with an organization that is at the forefront of the fight for Health Equity, for African Americans and all minorities," Rhone told me.

She sees that firsthand, as do all of the honorees, as Stone explained to me. "The balance is struck months before the event when you have the honoree come to our Duarte campus and meet patients they are impacting and see the research that they're helping. And that just feeds on itself and it's in the air throughout the day," he said.

Read more from the original source:
The Key To Success Of City of Hope Spirit of Life Galas Is The Personal Touch - Forbes

Like survivors of a disaster that may or may not have been caused by climate change, Labor is slowly emerging from their bunker to survey the wreckage wrought upon them.

Five months on from their night of horrors the opposition is showing the first signs of regrouping after what has been a soul-destroying period as the Morrison government has resumed the treasury benches sans agenda or any real sense of purpose.

In this time opposition politics have seemed to be more like muscle memory, jumping on the leak of government key messages as though they were state secrets, confecting outrage at the prime ministers faux Trumpism, goading Barnaby into saying something else ridiculous.

Under their new leader Labor has ducked and weaved as the government has attempted to draw them into political alleyways on tax cuts and medevac and lately on the drug-testing of welfare recipients, recognition that they are in no state as yet to reengage in real fights.

A harsh but fair assessment would be that the opposition has been such in name only, with an election postmortem ongoing and increasingly public disagreements from senior figures inside and outside the parliament on what comes next.

This impression is reinforced by responses to questions in this weeks Essential Report designed to get the first real take on perceptions towards Anthony Albaneses Labor.

The low regard is unsurprising, just a quarter of all voters rating Labors performance as excellent or good. Indeed, a majority of Labor voters mark the performance as fair or poor, suggesting the current stasis is not sustainable for any extended period of time.

But before anything changes, the opposition needs to agree what went so horribly wrong in May and what can be done to ensure it is not repeated.

At the heart of the rebuilding exercise is the critical question: was it the progressive platform or the political campaign that drove a bare majority of Australians to reject Labor at the ballot box?

There is one school of thought lets call them the Joels that start with the premise that Labor got captured by the left and the progressive agenda was roundly rejected by mainstream Australia as a consequence.

There is another group lets call them the Waynes who are adamant it was the campaign and not the policy that failed the party.

Ahead of the release of the official election review, Labors position on climate change has emerged as a proxy battleground for these two world views.

The Joels are arguing to wind back ambitions on emissions to neutralise the attacks from the Coalition on the impact of policies on jobs. But in Waynes world, to walk away from progressive issues such as ambitious action on climate change would be to lose the election twice along with a generation of younger voters.

This weeks rebuff of the Joels by way of a largely symbolic climate extinction motion suggests the Waynes are gaining ascendency within the opposition. But the instinct to kick the big issues down the road means the debate will be ongoing.

A separate set of findings in this weeks report backs in the theory it was the campaign, not the issues that were Labors achilles heel; with Albaneses personal attributes significantly stronger than his predecessor.

This reinforces the argument that Labors campaign and, more pointedly, the Coalitions personal attacks on Bill Shorten fuelled by a third party-funded social media info-war had a significant impact on the final result.

This uptake in leader approval is reflected in general satisfaction with Albaneses performance, although he has not put a dent in the prime ministers preferred PM status.

These findings should give succour to those who argue that it was the execution of the platform and not the platform itself that needs the rethink.

Closing tax loopholes, acting on homelessness, investing in early learning, recalibrating workplace laws, repairing the NDIS and, yes, taking decisive action on climate change, were all popular progressive policies.

The majority of the public went with Labor on the journey, but too many baulked at the final hurdle, convinced the risk of change was too great and the returned Morrison government was the safe bet.

The failure of 2019 was actually one of cadence. A campaign full of announcements and promises simply overwhelmed the public. It wasnt climate change or any one thing that cost the election, it was everything.

To torture the metaphor, the answer is not to deny the impact of climate change on the election result, it is to make the Labor party climate resistant by recognising that leadership on this issue is a perquisite for any meaningful claim to power.

The debates going on inside Labor right now are important: to lead or respond, to play big target or small, to treat the political contest as a game or a mission. How these issues resolve will determine the sort of choice Australians face in three years time.

Peter Lewis is an executive director of Essential. He is the author of Webtopia the Worldwide Wreck of Tech and How to Make the Net Work

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It wasn't any one thing that cost Labor the election it was everything - The Guardian

SANTA CLARA, Calif. The San Francisco 49ers and WellStrong medical services further expanded their physical therapy and sports rehab partnership with todays announcement of a new clinic located within the 35,000-plus square 49ers Fit fitness and recovery center in San Jose. The dedicated, co-branded facility welcomes OrthoNorCal to operate what stands as the third 49ers Rehab and Performance Physical Therapy Center open to the public in Northern California.

*** Save The Date: Thursday, October 24, 2019 *

Grand Opening of 49ers Rehab and Performance Physical Therapy Center at 49ers Fit

The 49ers Rehab and Performance Physical Therapy Center at 49ers Fit brings physical therapy and sports injury rehab to athletes and non-athletes seeking high quality care in Silicon Valley. The addition of OrthoNorCal and its experienced team of orthopedic specialists makes 49ers Fit the best-equipped physical therapy and rehab clinic in the Bay Area. In addition to the 40-yard indoor artificial turf area available for rehab drills and workouts, 49ers Fit already features an innovative recovery lounge featuring cryotherapy, NormaTec compression sleeves, hydromassages, and treatments delivered by the industrys leading experts.

We are committed to delivering the 49ers brand to our fans through innovative partnerships and initiatives such as the pairing of WellStrong and 49ers Fit, a natural pairing that will provide unmatched facilities and care for our customers, said Paraag Marathe, President of 49ers Enterprises. Combining the expertise of the OrthoNorCal physicians with the professional grade training and recovery equipment at 49ers Fit makes our facility the most comprehensive rehab and recovery center for athletes of all levels in the Bay Area.

Even the most finely tuned athletes get aches, pains, and tweaked muscles so couldnt be more excited to welcome OrthoNorCal into 49ers Fit to add their expertise to the recovery equipment that we already have in the gym, said Jeremy Piamonte, 49ers Fit general manager. Weve had already designed 49ers Fit to be a full-service fitness and recovery center and with the addition of these orthopedic specialists we really have something no other facility can match.

The partnership between the 49ers and WellStrong launched in September 2017 with the opening of the first 49ers-branded physical therapy and sports rehabilitation center at 12 Upper Ragsdale Drive in Monterey, a collaboration with Monterey Spine & Joint. That successful collaboration led to the opening of a second overall location in January 2019, the groups first in San Jose, located at 550 S. Winchester Boulevard. All three facilities are fully operational and taking patients five days a week, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

WellStrong was founded on the belief that everyday athletes should have the ability to obtain professional athlete level care, and we are thrilled to see this idea grow with opening our third location, explained Scott Leggett, cofounder of WellStrong. 49ers Fit in San Jose is ideal as it provides convenient access to our physical therapy and rehabilitation services for an already active community.

WellStrong is an innovator in medical management services includingorthopedic, sports physicaltherapy, wellness, and prevention. At each if the three state-of-the-art, 49ers-branded physical therapy and sports rehabilitation facilities, WellStrongs licensed physicians, physical therapists, certified athletic trainers, and medical assistants operate having received cross-training and best practice education from experienced 49ers team members.

Through the opening of these clinics, 49ers and WellStrong are providing the general public with access to professional athlete-quality physical therapy and rehabilitative care provided by licensed physicians and therapists. These certified practitioners have access to the best practices and experience of the athletic training and strength and conditioning professionals from the 49ers, with the opportunity to visit 49ers training camp to learn from the pros.

We are very excited to partner with WellStrong and the 49ers to meet our patients PT needs, said Nathaniel P. Cohen, MD Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery, President of OrthoNorCal. WellStrongs experience and their dedication to patient care are impressive. The 49ers history of innovation in sports performance is legendary. They match our commitment to outstanding patient care.

The orthopedic surgeons of OrthoNorCal are specially trained to treat a multitude of orthopedic conditions of the bone, joint, and muscle. OrthoNorCals San Jose location at 49ers Fit stands as their fifth following locations in four major areas in Northern California Capitola, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill and Watsonville.

Featuring state-of-the-art equipment like that used by the San Francisco 49ers, 49ers Fit is a 36,500 square foot fitness and recovery center that boasts a 100-foot 49ers turf for functional and group training, cardio and strength training, yoga, cycling and group fitness studios, recovery lounge, kids room and more. Our elite staff of personal trainers is equipped to customize a game plan to achieve your fitness goals. Our dynamic team is comprised of fitness specialists across all disciplines. Let us help you get game day ready by visiting 49erFit.com or by calling 844-49ER-FIT or 408-412-8130 for the physical therapy and rehab clinic.

OrthoNotCal Orthopedic Specialists provide their patients with the highest level of care and compassion in a personalized setting, while helping them get back to whats most important. OrthoNorCal has four state-of-the-art office locations, our doctors see patients in Capitola, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill and Watsonville. OrthoNorCal offers specialists to cover surgical and non-surgical expertise for all areas of the body as well as imaging experts and workers compensation and occupational health specialists. Additional information is available at OrthoNorCal.com.

WellStrong strives to add value to its patients, physicians, and partners. WellStrong and its affiliates are driven to provide professional athlete-level care through its experienced team, cutting-edge technology, and facilities. WellStrongs belief is that movement is medicine, and its goal is to help individuals achieve their highest level of performance. A partnership between WellStrong and the San Francisco 49ers was formed in September 2017 to provide professional-athlete level treatment andpreventionfor sports-related injuries at affordable prices. Additional information is available at WellStrong.com.

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WellStrong Bring Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab Concept to 49ers Fit in San Jose - 49ers.com

Managerial advice and how-to articles on leadership are everywhere. From online forum participants to your former bosses, everyone has an opinion on how to be better leaders. However, even well-intentioned advice has an expiration date.

We asked the members of Forbes Coaches Council for their take on common managerial practices, particularly focusing on what they consider to be outdated for todays managers. See their responses below to understand which older practices to keep out of todays work environment.

Forbes Coaches Council members list common managerial practices they think are now outdated.

1. Measuring Physical Presence And In-Office Time

Today's expected workplace is "virtual." Employees can work from anywhere. All too often, however, leaders have a mindset that if they don't see you in the office, then you aren't working. This makes leveraging a virtual workplace very difficult, and employees today expect this as part of the benefits of working with a company. Leaders should focus on actual results and not physical presence. - John Knotts, Crosscutter Enterprises

2. Giving The Annual Performance Review

Ditch the yearly performance review. It's outdated and ineffective. Business moves quickly, so your feedback should too. Find ways to give employees feedback as often as possible. Retire the concept of a manager and adopt that of a coach. Ongoing feedback allows team members to immediately make improvements to their performance and increases employee engagement as an added bonus! - Jennifer Peatman, Jennifer Peatman Coaching and Consulting

3. Strictly Separating Your Business And Personal Lives

Vulnerable leadership and personal branding require you to show up as a human at work. Your employees want to know that you're human toothat you have a life, family, friends and story that's meaningful to you that intertwines with the work you do. You need to show up to work with leadership presence and personality if you want to establish credibility and trust with your employees. - Alex Rufatto Perry, Practically Speaking, LLC

4. Motivating Staff Through Money Alone

Money is not an effective motivator for most people, though they will pretend that it is. Incentivization with money is what managers do when they don't spend the quality time to get to know their people. People have their own motives already. You just have to know how to find them and connect them to business activities. When you connect to self-interest this way, you create engagement. - Josef Shapiro, Clear and Open

5. Only Assessing Competency

Competency modeling and assessment was the hot feedback and evaluation method of the previous generation. As an expert in assessment, I noticed myself evolving this idea over a decade ago because competent people can often get tunnel vision. When they know a lot, they also become less open to wholesale changes and innovation. In today's fluid workplace, agility has become more important. - Pam Boney, tilt365.com

6. Treating Every Employee The Same

Old-fashioned managers went for absolute consistency in the treatment of employees, afraid that conscious deviation from policy or rules would set a new precedent forever. The agility and diversity of a modern workspace demand occasional flexibility. Today's leaders need to make the right decision at the right time for the right people, and never assume that by doing so they have reset a policy. - Tom Kolditz, Doerr Institute for New Leaders

7. Giving Formal Written Performance Feedback

The new generation embraces and prefers more immediate communications. Use social media to celebrate wins, text your team members, engage in person and via mobile tools. Stay in touch, engaged and provide real-time feedback. This is the new "open-door" policy. The tech-savvy workforce uses mobile tools as frequently as we use to dial-in to speak to someone. Take advantage of that immediacy. - Rosa Vargas, Authentic Resume Branding & Career Coaching

8. Focusing On Fixing Weaknesses

Focusing on the weaknesses of employees could be one of the most outdated pieces of advice. It triggers employees to feel consistently insufficient, which is one of the most difficult emotions to deal with. Concentrating on developing weaknesses takes a lot of energy and time while making it hard to achieve good results. Contrary, strengths are resources that can easily be activated and are motivational by nature. - Elif Suner, Elif Suner MBA, M.Ed, PCC - Coaching, Training, Consulting

9. Requiring Optimism

Traditionally, managers were told that pessimists would harm the flow of work and hurt staff morale. Some managers tried to require a positive attitude at work. New research shows that employees wandering around the workplace sounding like Eeyore actually serve a positive purpose. As long as they are located in the right job, pessimists save companies money by troubleshooting to prevent problems. - Doris Helge, Women's Leadership Success Strategies

10. Using Command-And-Control Leadership

Command-and-control leadership was highly effective in the industrial age when the focus was on individuals being accountable for producing material goods. In today's information economy, the focus is on producing and sharing knowledge. This requires shared leadership and collaboration. High-functioning teams have multiple leaders in clearly defined roles who share a common purpose. - Emily Rogers, Emily Rogers Consulting + Coaching

11. Keeping Quiet About Your Mistakes And Worries

"Keep a stiff upper lip" and the similar maxim of "never let them see you sweat" are outdated and inauthentic to boot. To promote true teamwork, a leader should demonstrate to the broader team that it is actually OK to make mistakes versus withholding information because we learn, grow and thrive collectively when we are honest and accountable to each other, regardless of our job titles. - Debbie Ince, Executive Talent Finders, Inc

12. Seeking Full Consensus From The Team

Consensus and agreement, which used to be the hallmarks of excellent management, aren't as effective as we once thought. Getting everyone "on the same page" can stifle voices of dissension. And the knock-on effect is that new ideas and different viewpoints aren't explored, inclusion suffers and innovation probably won't happen. Encourage spirited discussion, and watch your team's creativity soar! - Kate Dixon, Dixon Consulting

13. Concentrating Solely On The Bottom Line

Concentrating only on the bottom line is pass. Managers who focus only on one stakeholder (investors) risk failing that very one. There is research galore to prove that when companies work to serve all stakeholders, rather than exploit some to serve one, financials improve. Managers need to align all stakeholders, including investors, so they position their companies better for the future. - Kelly Tyler Byrnes, Voyage Consulting Group

14. Prioritizing Tenure Over Talent

Traditional management called for us to consider time on the job as a significant factor when considering a promotion. Today, we know some very young, new-to-the-firm talent can outshine long-tenured team members. It is critical that managers employ a "leapfrog" strategy where the person with the best performance and potential is promoted ahead of those who may have been here longer. - Jennifer Wilson, ConvergenceCoaching, LLC

15. Encouraging Vertical Silos

One piece of managerial advice I would consider outdated is vertical leadership. As the modern workplace changes, so does leadership. Managers should step out of their vertical silos and into horizontal connection, building trust that is bi-lateral. This is the basic law of social psychology: the reciprocity principle. Managers need to develop employees across the board, not just high potentials. - Elizabeth Ruiz, EAR Enterprises

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15 Outdated Practices Managers Shouldn't Follow In The Modern Workplace - Forbes

Bobbi Stokes faces her students when she leads classes at Riverview Fitness, a position that comes with a distinct disadvantage.

I tell them all the time, You guys are really pretty, but I barely looked at the water today.

The gym includes circuit training, cardio and group fitness rooms and arguably the best view onto its nearby surroundings in all of Buffalo Niagara.

It perches above the mouth of the Niagara River with the Youngstown Yacht Club below, Fort George and Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., straight ahead, and Old Fort Niagara and a U.S. Coast Guard Base on its starboard side.

Ive noticed when people do something really hard, while theyre counting or they're breathing, they stare at a boat, Stokes said. That's their focal point, which is really cool. It gives them something to focus on instead of the strain. At the end of the class, they clap. They're thankful.

Fitness wasnt meant to be this spectacular, and whatever ways we move our bodies into a more active stage releases endorphins and other chemicals that make us feel better overall.

Still, if you have to get up for a 6 a.m. workout or hold a handstand scorpion yoga pose for 30 seconds, there ought to be some immediate gratification somewhere, right?

Thats why we asked those who follow WNY Refresh on social media where we could find the best gyms with a view in the region. Heres a closer look at the top three recommendations.

Don Heins runs the self-propelled treadmill at Impact Sports Performance at LECOM Harborcenter while enjoying the view of Canalside and the Buffalo waterfront below. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

LECOM Harborcenter, 100 Washington St., Level 6; impactnextlevel.com;855-4585

Provides strength training, rehab exercise, yoga and cycling.

The practice that handles medical duties and athletic training for the Buffalo Bills, Sabres and Bandits took ownership this month of the public fitness facility at Harborcenter, but one of the things that wont change is the view.

Impact Sports Performance, the name of the sixth-floor space that overlooks Canalside and the Buffalo Harbor, also will remain the same, though it now will be run by UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine.

A series of Wattbikes, Versa Climbers and self-propelled treadmills stand alongside giant windows that face the waterfront, providing members and visitors a panorama below that can include kayakers and boaters in the Buffalo River, outdoor concerts and fitness classes in warmer months, and skaters on the Ice at Canalside in winter. (Public ice skating is scheduled to start Nov. 20.)

The new owner which helps athletes of all stripes mend from sports-related injuries plans to add a more robust clinical-performance model that builds off the strength, conditioning and rehab reputation Impact Sports Performance has gained since opening in early 2015.

UBMD Ortho which also handles athletic training for the Rochester Americans, University at Buffalo Bulls and several local college teams also will train the Buffalo Jr. Sabres and Academy of Hockey, as well as the general public.

We feel like the view of Canalside and the surrounding area really connects us to the City of Buffalo, the staff said in a statement.

Quarter Deck Athletics members carry some of their workout equipment up eight flights of stairs to the top of the Adams Parking Ramp on some fair-weather Saturdays. Those who participated during a recent weekend included, from left, Sarah Losi, Emily Ciraolo, Laura Mahoney, Steph Karnas, Jenny Stanek, Andrew Whiteford and Katie Morris. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

391 Washington St., lower level on the northeast edge of the Hotel @ Lafayette;qdathletics.com;464-3659

Provides personal training, group training, CrossFit QDA, nutritional coaching and chiropractic care.

Quarter Deck Athletics set up shop three years ago in a one-time speakeasy in the basement of the Hotel @ Lafayette. It features windows, pillars, sconces and chandeliers that would be the envy of most gym owners across the region but that isnt why QDA made this list.

Its because owner Dennis Lesniak, a chiropractor and CrossFit fanatic, has been known to take his group fitness classes on the road to spots that include Canalside, Gallagher Beach and Tifft Nature Preserve.

The most unique and arguably most scenic of them all, however, is the top level of the Adams Parking Ramp two blocks away at Elliott and Eagle streets.

Lesniak and several members carry barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells up eight flights of stairs to the rooftop of the ramp for workouts, usually on Saturday mornings when parking is hardly at a premium in the city business district.

Its nice to go outside do something different, QDA personal trainer Erica Caso said. It helps train different muscle groups, she said, and serves as good practice for some members who enjoy rucking, a fitness pursuit that involves lugging heavy backpacks for miles at a time.

The view from the top gives a plentiful sampling of Buffalo landmarks. The neighboring M&T Bank, Liberty and Hilton Garden Hotel buildings stand tall to the north and west; the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and Central Terminal are to the northeast. Southern views start in the east with the windmills along Lake Erie, the Old First Ward and Sahlen Field, and move across toward the Ellicott Square Building and KeyBank Center, then to the face of St. Pauls Episcopal Cathedral, Canalside and the Skyway.

I've had a couple people tell me, That's my tanning place in the summer, Lesniak said. It's a nice way to utilize some outside space downtown. Were very respectful of the space and we make sure we leave it cleaner than when we got there.

Quarter Deck opened several months after Butterwood Sweet & Savory restaurant shut down in the same 3,000-square-foot quarters just inside the northeast entrance of the hotel. It features cardio and strength-training equipment and six showers, catering to many professionals who use the space before or after work.

It's cool to be part of the revitalization of the downtown area, Lesniak said.

Sandy Johansson goes through a circuit training class in the group fitness room at Riverview Fitness in Youngstown. Owner Bobbi Stokes opens the large window when the weather is nice. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

445 Main St., Youngstown; learn more about classes at mindbodyonline.com or 219-4097

Provides strength training, PiYo, yoga, cycling, barre, SilverSneakers and beginner meditation.

Those in group fitness classes at this 1,500-square-foot facility and on the rower, four stationary bikes, three elliptical trainers, a pair of treadmills and a squat rack in the cardio space can look directly out the windows onto the Niagara riverscape. The group fitness space, added last fall, also includes a fireplace and windows that fold out, giving way to fresh air in good summer and fall weather.

The sight of people dancing on boat decks is common, Stokes said, and the crackle of cannon fire and smell of smoke from one of the historic nearby forts sometimes fills the air.

Instead of looking at a wall, youre seeing something that brings you happiness, she said.

The gym has changed hands several times since it opened two decades ago in what was built as a hotel more than a century ago.

Stokes certified to teach group fitness in several styles has run the place for a year. She quit her longtime job as a bartender in Lewiston earlier this month after she bought the business.

Linda Reynolds, who works part-time in the gym and takes classes there, said some members do part of their workouts, including jumping rope, on the outdoor patio along the riverbank, which also sports six Adirondack chairs.

We had someone come in during the summer from Ellicottville, and she was just starting up a gym down there and wanted to see ours, Reynolds said. She and her husband were extremely impressed.

Janine Bellonte is among gym members who credit Stokes and another Riverview instructor, Karen Oakley, with breathing new life into the gym. Both have warm, engaging approaches to classes and regularly mix styles and routines to keep things fresh, said Bellonte, a recently retired instructional coach with the Niagara Falls school district who takes three or four classes a week.

Riverview has forged close friendships among members who often end workouts with breakfast or a cup of coffee next door at the Youngstown Diner, which also overlooks the Niagara.

I don't think you could find a better view, Bellonte said.

email:refresh@buffnews.com

Twitter:@BNrefresh,@ScottBScanlon

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Three gyms that offer striking views with their workouts - Buffalo News

With artificial intelligence (AI) transforming a variety of industries, many people in the world of requests for proposals (RFP) are asking if the bidding industry is next. AI may be on its way to changing the world, but it is not yet ready to take over the world of bidding. Cutting-edge technology can help your contract proposal operations reach their full potential, but experienced (human) experts are still needed to deliver a winning bid.

Technology-Enabled Efficiencies

The promise of artificial intelligence is understandably appealing to firms leveraging RFPs for new business and growth. Artificial intelligence, or the idea that digital technology can achieve a level of learning, thinking and acting like humans, presents a future that can replace the most arduous tasks (as many people would characterize RFPs). They may think the process of identifying a relevant contract opportunity, creating and submitting a proposal, and winning a signed contract for new business can be fully automated.

For now, however, even advanced machine learning technology still lacks the dexterity, accountability and independence needed to make this future a reality. Take, for example, the idea of AI-enabled autoresponses to an RFPs requirements or scope of work.

Intuitive advancements to proposal templates make inputting a prewritten response more seamless, but RFP language is still far too divergent for software to identify the correct response and input a completely responsive answer without any human guidance. Even bid offerors in the same industry will all have different priorities and specific needs and use varied terminology.

The day when RFP software is advanced enough to handle these language intricacies is likely coming, but it is not here yet. In our experience, no software at the moment comes even particularly close.

Still, technology-enabled efficiencies are becoming an increasingly important part of competitive bidding. Prewritten responses should not be automatically added to a response without personal review, but they can save time and money when used strategically. Additionally, automatic tracking of metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs) and other information relevant to your industry and organization is an important tool to keep your bids informed and up to date with the latest information and intelligence.

Curated databases are slowly incorporating machine learning techniques to improve the relevance of search results and help you identify a perfect RFP opportunity. Again, personal attention is needed to fully implement these advantages, but directing your team to input customized search parameters such as geography, contract size, industry type, etc. can lead to a more optimized process of RFP opportunities for your organization to review.

The Human Touch

Aside from the complexities of human language, RFP opportunities and bids need a personal touch to translate explicit requirements into an intuitive format that gives a bid reviewer the information they need in a digestible way. Automated responses coming off an assembly line are less likely to stand out, and winning an RFP is all about standing your proposal apart from the rest.

Making use of visually engaging charts, graphs and images will help your message come across more clearly while demonstrating your business's technical skills. Evaluators often value creativity, because it demonstrates a solid understanding of the subject matter while saving them time and effort.

For example, design software like Adobe can help you create infographics, but an expert is needed to identify which information to highlight and decide the best visual format to do so. Because the information needed for RFPs is still contained in such a wide variety of formats and documents (different companies using different financial formats, different states using different information fields, etc.), AI struggles to pull the information efficiently and plug it into necessary visual templates.

A Hybrid Approach

RFP experts both external and in-house can help businesses and organizations on both sides of the RFP process to manage, design and win bids. In our experience, a hybrid approach that blends AI-enabled time-saving tools with expert-driven, detailed responsiveness is the best path forward more Ironman and less Robocop!

Read more here:
Why RFPs Need A Human Touch - Forbes

Brian Niccol, CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill

Adam Jeffery | CNBC

Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Friday:

Morgan Stanley said it sees a "balanced" risk/reward.

"We see increasing downside risks to CAT's Construction and Energy & Transportation segments. Resources segment and share repurchases continue to support EPS, but are unable to fully offset these headwinds. We now see negative EPS growth in FY20, 10% upside to our PT, and a balanced risk reward."

Read more about this call here.

KeyBanc said it is looking for "greater" visibility on the next catalyst to "drive" outperformance of the stock.

"WM has outperformed the group YTD in part due to the pending ADSW acquisition. We view management's bull-case 7-9% EBITDA/FCF growth outlook for 2019-2021 as comfortably achievable with the addition of ADSW, which presents an attractive relative valuation on combined company estimates. That said, we are moving to SW on WM as we look for greater visibility on the next catalyst that will drive relative outperformance at current levels."

Mizuho initiated the managed health care group and said it had a "positive" view of the industry.

"We are initiating coverage of the diversified managed care group including UNH (Buy, Price Target $270), HUM (Buy, Price Target $316), CI (Buy, Price Target $180) and ANTM (Neutral, Price Target $262). Although political rhetoric will likely create increased volatility in the group leading up to the 2020 Presidential election, our ratings are based on the fundamental outlook for the industry, which we view as positive."

Telsey said it sees strength in the online personal styling service as both an apparel retailer and a technology company.

"Our investment thesis in Stitch Fix rests on what we see as two characteristics that support its valuation: 1) it is an apparel retailer that has shown considerable topline growth potential; and, 2) it is a technology company that has consistently generated positive free cash flow. Therefore, we see the potential for a business that can self-fund growth in a category that remains open to disruption."

Citi upgraded Altria and said it thinks cigarette volumes will "improve."

"We have been negative as we thought the rate of cigarette declines cast doubt on the long-term outlook. However, we now expect less bad volumes next year as we think (1) e-vapor usage will fall due to the negative publicity around vaping and the imminent flavor ban, and (2) this will help cigarettes. The stock is below our target and we think it no longer looks expensive relative to overseas peers. Unfortunately we expect the short-term newsflow (on FDA regulation and earnings) to be difficult."

Guggenheim said it sees "upside" to 2020 consensus.

"In our view, DPZ's outlook has been meaningfully de-risked after last week's updated 2- to 3-year guidance, which included lowering the domestic SSS range by 100bps as well as announcing F3Q19's 2.4% domestic SSS, its lowest in 7 years. We see several drivers of upside to consensus's 2020 estimates and are raising our price target to $310, up from$280 prior, as we anticipate investor sentiment to improve into 2020."

Credit Suisse said it sees a "tougher" road ahead for the softlines space.

"The US Softlines Retailer group (incl M/JWN/KSS/JCP/GPS/LB among others) is now trading at a -3% discount to its 5-yr avg EV/EBITDA (vs. a +3% premium to the 5-yr avg one year ago today)adding some margin of safety for Softlines stocks. That said, the negative NT industry data points are adding up. As we look across our coverage, we see the most risk of negative revisions to 2020 Street ests for Macy's, GPS and LBand we think low valuation alone won't be sufficient to protect further stock downside."

Bank of America upgraded the social media company and said it had higher conviction it would continue to expand its average revenue per user.

"Based on: 1) Stock has sold off recently despite solid industry ad spend checks, 2) Ongoing Discover content rollout (8 new shows this fall) gives us higher conviction on realizing potential Snap ARPU expansion, 3) the secular tailwind from OTT traction taking linear TV time, benefitting Online video ad spend, 4) 4Q expected to be Snap's first positive EBITDA quarter, changing the narrative, and 5) recent public CEO comments suggest better appreciation of need for stock performance."

Bank of America upgraded the stock on "stronger" comp and margin outlook.

"We are moving to Neutral on Chipotle and raise FY19 adj. EPS to $13.70 (from $12.70) and FY20 to $17.15 (from $15.50) on a stronger comp and margin outlook. While we still struggle with the valuation upside, our expectations that CMG will deliver near-term EPS upside to consensus makes a correction in the multiple unlikely, driving our decision to move to Neutral."

Read more about this call here.

Macquarie said it views the cruise company as "best in class."

"Since transferring coverage, we've viewed RCL as best in class, further solidified by the positive momentum in Asia something that has eluded peers. Results could be messy, but Dorian is a one-time, and adv. booking sentiment remains strong aside from Dorian, and at a current near-trough PE multiple, we see substantially more upside than downside, even if leverage is higher than peers'."

Bernstein said it expected to see "upside" from management's sales guidance when Beyond Meat reports earnings on October 28th.

"We continue to expect significant growth in the plant-based meat category and expect there to be upside to management's FY19 sales guidance. Specifically, management expected sales to exceed $240m in FY19, which could be conservative as it does not include the incremental revenue from potential new foodservice and retail partnerships, like Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds and HelloFresh."

Continued here:
Here are the biggest analyst calls of the day: Macy's, Chipotle, Beyond Meat, Caterpillar & more - CNBC

Head Coach Zac Taylor

Frustrating loss. Our guys gave us a chance in the second-half defense. They scored on the first three drives of the game, and we thought it was going to be tough. I dont care what the stats say; they buckled down, and they gave up two field goals in the remainder of the game. Thats what we needed from them. Thats the response we needed. Thats not the response from a team thats 0-5 at the time and giving up as many rushing yards that were given up. The response was to buckle down and step up and make some plays, and they did that. Brandon Wilsons kickoff return for touchdown was the spark that we needed. Then, on offense, we continued to search for that identity. It didnt really feel like we had any drives in the second half. I think we had two an 11-play drive and then a four-play drive, and then, all of a sudden, two-minute drill. So, it was a strange game in that respect. But, again, we had guys trying to get us back in it. There was no quit. Its frustrating, trust me. You can throw out every stat that you want. Were not scoring points. Were not scoring touchdowns. Our red zone efficiency is terrible. But, the bottom line is, were 0-6, and our team has more fight than anybody Ive been around. I just told them when we do find that win, its going to be the most rewarding win youve had in your entire life. Because the guys are still fighting. The leadership is starting to step up. We have a group. Its tough, and this one hurt probably the most it feels like. But we gave ourselves the chance at the end when it looked really bleak. Weve fought back now two weeks in a row. Again, we dont put ourselves in the position in the first half to win the game, and thats disappointing, but its going to come. And its going to be very rewarding when it does. And this is a group that Im very proud of.

On why the team is having so much trouble against the run?

Theres a lot of things that are tough right now, and well have to watch and figure out what that reason was. This was a unique offense we faced. They present a lot of challenges. Again, its a silly thing to say. After the first three drives, they gave up some plays, but, again, they buckled down and kept the points off the board, and thats what we needed from them. We lost at one point three starters in the secondary. We had three D-linemen inactive, and weve got a bunch of guys out there fighting like crazy against an offense thats really well put together and, at the end of the day, they gave us a chance to win.

On rotating a lot of guys

Thats everything. Lets find the most energy we can find. Lets find the healthiest guys we can find, and lets just find a way to get a stop. In the end there, they found some ways to make stops and give us a chance.

On their third-straight game without an offensive touchdown

I can point to everything. Our rushing efficiency has not been very good. Were still trying to find our identity there. That part has been frustrating. Our red zone efficiency we get a turnover there in the first half. We started to have momentum at the end of the second quarter. I think that was the fourth possession we had in the game. We felt like we were moving the ball, and the field position was starting to turn in our favor. We get some momentum there, and the ball gets tipped and intercepted. Then again, we get down there at the four. Tough call, and we throw the ball to [Alex] Erickson on the sideline. That looked like a tough one. I thought we should have had the ball on the one, and we didnt. So, we kicked the field goal. The second drive, the defense gets the stop. And, again, the offense [has an] 11-play drive no points. Its killing us. You get these drives that start to flip the field, but we need the points that come with that. Again, just a very frustrating loss.

On what the Ravens did to take away the Bengals ground game

They were just being physical up front. Thats what it was. I wouldnt say they were doing anything schematically.

On the challenge of facing Lamar Jackson

Very challenging. Thats the most frustrating thing for a defense. You have a play covered, and hes an elite athlete. Weve played a couple of good athletes. Hes one of the rarest Ive seen in person. Just one little crease, and hes got 30 yards on you.

On the three players hurt in the secondary

Will Jackson was out for a little bit. I couldnt tell, to be honest with you. I saw him coming off. I wasnt sure if it was injury-related or fatigue.

On relinquishing play-calling duties

I have not. We still feel like we have a good plan going into every game. We havent scored enough points. We feel like every game were going to score plenty of points and give ourselves a chance to win. We just havent gotten it done.

On how he evaluates himself as a play caller

Weve won zero games and have not scored enough points. And that 100 percent falls on me. But I do like the communication we have as a staff. The play calls come out of my mouth. We have great chemistry as a staff. We put a good plan together, and we are all on the same page when the calls come out regardless of whose call it.

On WR Tyler Boyd being taken out of the game

They usually do that with Marlon Humphrey. He usually covers who they think is going to be the best receiver. Hes certainly been our leading receiver these last couple of games. So, thats what they like to do. They put Marlon Humphrey on him and theyve still got eyes on him from everyone because hes a dangerous guy.

On not playing WR A.J. Green

Theres no reason for that.

On the mood in their locker room being 0-6

I told these guys, For an 0-6 team, you wouldnt know it. No one has quit. Theres not one person in this locker room who has quit on us. The mood is still pissed off that we havent found a way to get the win, but everyone still believes. I meant it when I told them, This is two weeks in a row now where most teams that havent won a game would shut it down and go ahead and take the 25-point loss and move on. Woe is me and point fingers. I havent seen it. I havent seen it from one guy. Theyve all responded the way you want them to. Its going to be very rewarding when this thing clicks. It just hasnt done it yet, but when it does, its going to be very rewarding for you guys in this locker room.

On the excitement with the game plan

The whole plan we get excited about. We go into the game thinking, Alright, this is the plan thats going to give us the chance to win. Again, when we get to 10-plus-play drives, we have to score points. We cant just get down to the 40 and have to punt it. Thats really what has killed us; the turnover. You can say the guy made a great play from the back side and tipped the ball. Thats a tough one to stomach. They made a play, and we didnt. Those are just the times when you get down there. And weve had this conversation all year. Its the red zone efficiency thats killed us.

On the Bengals running game

"Were trying every combination we can possibly imagine to try and get this run game off the ground. It is frustrating.

On doing some different things with RB [Giovani] Bernard

Were working on it. Its hard when you are running for a yard or two per carry. And you do want to stick with it because you have to. But, at the same time, we found some great matchups in the passing game that we liked, and it was giving us 10-yard chunks. So, that was the direction we were heading in the second half. I dont know what the final rush total was. Its not good, probably not a lot of carries. But we found out if we want to give ourselves a chance to win, it needed to be covering some ground through the air.

On, as a play caller, how tough it is falling behind

Its not necessarily the defense. Were not scoring on offense. If we could have matched them score for score and been in it, and be able to call our stuff. Ive said it many times standing at this podium, Weve got to be better in the first half. We have to put points on the board and take the pressure off the defense.

QB Andy Dalton

On if the Ravens defense took WR Tyler Boyd away in the first half

Yeah, they did. They had a plan for him. He got a bunch of double teams in this game. Thats how they were playing him.

On whats keeping the offense from getting off to a good start

We obviously got the return for a touchdown, and then we went three-and-out. We had a chance, but the ball got tipped at the line of scrimmage it was one of those things where we had a good play That stuff happens, unfortunately. Thats why we ended up going three-and-out on the first drive.

On why he spiked the ball after he scored the rushing touchdown

I scored a touchdown. Its not my first time spiking it when I scored a rushing touchdown.

On if teams are playing them differently without WR A.J. Green

Absolutely. [Because] hes not on the field.

On what they need to do to get off to a faster start on offense

Thats what were trying to figure out. For us, weve got to take a hard look at everything that were doing. Weve got to make plays. Weve got to have the right plan going in not saying that we dont - thats not what Im saying at all. We have to look and see where were struggling, what can we do better? Everybodys got to do that. It starts with me, and it starts with the execution.

On what the Ravens did to stop the rushing attack

They had all their guys in the box. They made it hard for us to run.

On if hes surprised with how the team is taking being 0-6

Im not surprised at all. Weve got great guys here, weve got guys that are sticking together. For us to get things turned around, it has to be that way. I think the culture that [Bengals head coach] Zac [Taylor] has set here everybody is buying into it and has bought into it. So thats why guys are sticking together.

On if hes talked to the coaching staff about picking up the tempo of the offense

Obviously, weve done some good things, and weve been able to pick up the pace Obviously when you get to the end of these games, weve been able to move the ball pretty well, so well take a look at it and see if we feel like thats an area we need to go, then well definitely do it. I like it. Whatever is going to put points on the board.

On his rapport with WR Auden Tate

He played really well. Audens a guy thats so big, youve just got to give him opportunities to make plays. You can see with a lot of the catches that he had, using his size and with the ability to track the ball, he was able to make the play.

S Shawn Williams

We are getting better. We came out at times, and at first, it was a little shaky. We had to figure out what they were doing, but when we did, we did a pretty good job of adjusting. One thing I feel like we could have focused on more was keeping Lamar [Jackson] in the pocket. He is a good athlete, a good quarterback. He makes that team run. In the second half, when we made our adjustment, we really played well. We held them to three [points]. They are in the NFL too, so they are going to get their yards, but at the end of the day, we did get stops on third down, and we held them to three when they did get in the scoring zone.

He is a really great athlete. He is special. He can hit the edge and run like no quarterback I have ever played, at least that I can remember at this moment. We just have to go back to the gameplan for when we face him again. We kind of know the recipe. We have to stop them on first and second down, get them in third down, third down and long, keep [Lamar Jackson] in the pocket and make him throw to beat us. When he steps outside the pocket, he is as good as anyone. And today, he also made throws outside the pocket. So, they kind of won that today.

On defending the entire run game, not just Lamar Jackson

We cannot just tee off and rush. You have to be disciplined in your rush lanes. [Lamar Jackson] does a good job of extending plays on third down and getting them the extra first down that they need.

S Brandon Wilson

On his kickoff return for touchdown

I had some great blocks. I read my keys and just went for the score. There were some good blocks up front. Clayton [Fejedelem] and the guys up front did a great job opening it up for me.

On if he thought his touchdown would provide a spark

It would provide a spark because it was the first play of the game.

On whether he anticipated a short kick for the opening kick

Yes, kind of close to the goal line, somewhere around that range. I really only had to make one cut because they blocked it up so well. I do not know if I was touched or not.

On defending the Ravens offense

We just wanted to keep him [Lamar Jackson] in the pocket. That is what we really had to do. You just have to keep your eyes on your keys and do your job. Yeah, do your job.

DE Carl Lawson

We have got a lot of things we need to fix. There are things we have to correct. At the end of the day, the only thing we can do is go back to the drawing board and keep fighting and do not quit.

On whether the defense played better as the game went on

We definitely did. We settled down and did what we were supposed to do and play how we needed to. We had to play a great player [Jackson] and we have got another chance to play him again. When that opportunity comes, we need to do better.

On the Ravens running game

Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram II; that combination is dangerous when you have a running quarterback and a Pro Bowl running back. We have to keep [Jackson] in the pocket. We would rather him throw than run because he is so dangerous running. We just have to keep working.

TE Tyler Eifert

We fought hard. We had a couple short drives and three-and-outs. We just didnt get many opportunities in the second half. We had one long drive that we didnt get points on and they had a couple long drives, so we just got to keep battling. I feel like at times, we look pretty dang good, and then others, not so much. So, we just need to find some consistency.

On what they can take away from this game moving forward

Not very much. We just need to make the corrections. Were professionals, well come back to work on Monday, and well have a good week of practice and get ready to play another game next Sunday.

WR Auden Tate

On his personal performance

I think I played fairly well. When my number was called, I just tried to make a play. I did that on some occasions. Andy [Dalton] just trusted me, so I appreciated that. I wish we would have just came out with the win.

On if the Ravens focus on WR Tyler Boyd opened the offense up more for him

Yeah. that was a big thing we talked about all week. We knew they would be keying in on TB [Tyler Boyd], so it would be on me and 'AE [Alex Erickson] to kind of step up.

If a couple plays turned, we could easily be 3-3 or 4-2. Its not like we just get blasted. We know we can do it. Were all grown men. Theres not any point in giving up, so you do your job.

LB Nick Vigil

We gave up a lot of rushing yards. We let No. 8 [Lamar Jackson] get loose a couple times, but I think we did pretty good in the red zone. We held them to six points in the second half and it gave ourselves a chance.

Hes a good player. Hes tough to contain. We didnt do a good enough job setting edges and that was a lot of their run game him getting outside.

Weve got to win a game. Thats the thing, weve got to put it all together, especially stopping the run. On defense, if we dont stop the run, we dont stand a chance.

LB Preston Brown

On QB Lamar Jacksons play

Its tough, they did a lot of empty stuff, so he [Lamar Jackson] got easy reads and if they werent there, he was going to take off. He does a good job of making people miss. He's one of the most elusive, best players. They did a good job utilizing him and having him with a lead blocker. He was cutting it back, throwing outside and running around. He was just having fun on us, and thats what you never want to have done.

On the teams rush defense

Its tough. You think you have stuff idled up, guys are going another way and sometimes you just miss tackles. Weve got to go to the drawing board and see how exactly people keep getting these runs. Every week you look up and theres a lot of rushing yards. Thats something you never want to see. I dont think its a scheme thing, coaches do a great job every week of preparing us. Weve just got to make plays. So, weve just got to find ways to beat our blocks, to beat our man and tackle the man with the ball.

On being from Cincinnati and playing for the Bengals

I grew up seeing 2-14 teams and its something I never wanted to be a part of. Now, I'm trying each and every week to get that first win. We know what the whole city wants, and weve got to get this win.

CB William Jackson III

We want to win. That's what we care about the most. The guys that are out there are the guys that want to win. We just go out there. We never quit. We believe were going to win. The whole time, it could be 40-0, and we still believe we could win the game. I just love playing with guys like that, play through injuries. It's always frustrating, were competitive and we always want to win. We're here to do a job, but well keep moving forward and get that first win.

Thats devastating. Hes one of the leaders in the locker room. He's a good guy. It's football, its what we signed up for. I'll be glad when we get him back.

Link:
Taylor: "Our Team Has More Fight Than Anybody Around" - Bengals.com

LONDON Call it an act of homage, authorial daring or simply a playwright having a bit of fun, but Laura Wades The Watsons is one of this years smartest plays so far, and also among the sweetest. Picking up where Jane Austen left her unfinished novel of the same name, Ms. Wade brings these Regency-era characters to the stage accompanied by her modern-day self.

The giddy result was first seen last year at the Chichester Festival Theater, in southeast England, and has since transferred to the Menier Chocolate Factory through Nov. 16. I wouldnt be at all surprised if this play, like Ms. Wades previous works Posh and the Olivier Award-winning Home, Im Darling, finds a longer life still, not least among playgoers who like a bit of spice in their period pieces.

Ms. Wades conceit, clever without ever turning arch, allows her an onstage surrogate in the form of the bristling, quick-witted Laura (a terrific Louise Ford). Entering the action in contemporary street clothes that stand out from the bonnets and breeches around her, Laura reflects upon the act of writing while attempting to finish what Austen started early in the 19th century. (To this day, scholars are unsure why this particular Austen narrative never made it to the final sentence; the book was first published posthumously in 1871.)

Laura, of course, is a playwright, not a novelist, an important distinction that she addresses head-on: I like it when they clap, she says of the appeal of live performance. At the same time, existing in the here and now gives Laura access to a discourse about writing that would have been alien to Austen and the gentry she brought to the page. We hear about characters emerging from the unconscious, a psychological term Mrs. Bennet wouldnt have known to employ, and theres a Brexit-era quip about having to respect the result that surely would have received blank stares from Austen and her contemporaries.

One obvious forerunner of Ms. Wades frolics here is Luigi Pirandellos genre-bending Six Characters in Search of an Author, the 1921 classic in which a dramatist and his characters come to an uneasy face-off. The Watsons builds upon the themes of its iconic predecessor in offering an assemblage of Austen characters the young Emma Watson (a piquant Grace Molony) chief among them who clamor for something to do and, in at least one instance, resist being fictionalized at all. The onstage Laura admits to being in conversation with Pirandello, but the primary connection made by The Watsons is to its audience, who at a recent matinee seemed to be all smiles as events went their merrily unexpected way.

The production is robustly directed by Samuel West, who also happens to be Ms. Wades partner and the father of their two daughters (who are referred to in passing). Almost as remarkable as the sustained sleight-of-hand of the writing is the fact that the play boasts a cast of 18, the sort of scale youd usually expect from a musical. Might a song-and-dance extravaganza be yet another method of bringing closure to Austens novel? Were Ms. Wade moved in that direction, very little would appear to be off limits. You have to feel pulled toward your desk, were told of the primal need to write, as expressed by a writer for whom anything increasingly seems possible.

The Watsons is one of a clutch of London plays this season that either engage with dramatic shape-shifting or put unpredictable women center stage. Less accomplished, though on paper no less intriguing, is Two Ladies, at the Bridge Theater through Oct. 26. Across 100 minutes without an intermission, the Irish playwright Nancy Harris imagines a meeting between the wives of two world leaders who are brought together to commiserate, and more, while their (unseen) husbands talk realpolitik in a room not far away as revolution stirs in the streets outside.

The obvious prototypes for Helen (a peppery Zo Wanamaker) and Sophia (Zrinka Cvitesic) are Brigitte Macron, the wife of President Emmanuel Macron of France, and Melania Trump, the first lady of the United States. At the same time, enough is different about Ms. Harriss characters to individuate them from their inspirations: Helen is English, not French, and was once a journalist (although she is much older than her husband, as is the case with the Macrons); the excellent Ms. Cvitesic, an Olivier Award winner for the musical Once, plays an aggrieved spouse who is from her native Croatia, not Slovenia, and who speaks in the play of the child she never had; the Trumps, of course, have a young son.

As it happens, Two Ladies needs as many real-life parallels as it can muster once the plot has derailed into absurdity and melodrama. Its easy to see the appeal of this material to Ms. Harris as an exercise in female empowerment and agency Sophia, in particular, becomes emboldened as the play progresses but theres no escaping the sense that Nicholas Hytners production is working with an attenuated script that feels a draft or two away from its full potential. Two Ladies feels like a pitch for a play, not the finished product.

Thats not the case across town at the Royal Court, the capitals leading address for new writing, which in recent weeks has passed a provocative baton between two generations of female writers. A History of Water in the Middle East, at the Courts intimate Theater Upstairs through Nov. 16, goes one better than The Watsons in placing its British-Egyptian writer, Sabrina Mahfouz, among its cast of four in what turns out to be less a play than an illustrated lecture with music, played live by the composer, Kareem Samara.

Ms. Mahfouz traverses locations, as well as epochs past and future, to chronicle the saga of Britains engagement in the Middle East alongside the authors personal account of her flirtation with a career as a spy. If the hourlong evening feels a tad slight, Stef ODriscolls production exists cleverly perched between a lecture and a concert, which in turn flavors the instruction with a hipster vibe.

And theres no one more momentous, albeit unaffectedly so, in her playwriting finesse than Caryl Churchill, age 81, whose quartet of new plays finished an acclaimed, too-brief run on the Court main stage on Oct. 12. Fusing a deep sense of foreboding alongside an abiding playfulness, the various one-acts Imp, especially confirmed a masterful ability to experiment with both subject matter and form that remains without peer. Ms. Churchills 1982 play, Top Girls, was revived at the National Theater this year, and in her ninth decade, shes still at the top.

The Watsons. Directed by Samuel West. Menier Chocolate Factory, through Nov. 16.

Two Ladies. Directed by Nicholas Hytner. Bridge Theater, through Oct. 26.

A History of Water in the Middle East. Directed by Stef ODriscoll. Royal Court Theater Upstairs, through Nov. 16.

Read this article:
Female Playwrights Are on Form (for the Most Part) - The New York Times

Teams from the Income Tax Department launched surprise raids on the Ekam campus, also known as Kalki Ashram and Oneness University, along the Chittoor-Tamil Nadu border, on Wednesday morning.

All three gates of the sprawling campus were shut, with entry and exit being restricted by the Tamil Nadu Police.

Eight teams of I-T officials along with policemen arrived at the ashram to conduct simultaneous searches at posh structures on the 500-acre campus. Reports said that similar raids had commenced on the establishments of Ekam elsewhere in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

At the time of the raids, the Amma Bhagwan couple and their son Krishnaji were in Tamil Nadu. The I-T officials are said to be questioning a man named Lokesh Dasaji, said to be a close confidante of the Amma Bhagwan couple and the prime administrator of the campus.

The raids are attributed to the alleged irregularities in the management of funds of the Kalki Trust, coupled with allegations that Krishnaji, the couples son, was into real estate business with huge investments.

The raids were still on at the time of filing this report on Wednesday. Heavily guarded by police at the entrances, nobody was allowed to enter or exit the campus. Communication was also cut off as the I-T officials had confiscated the mobile phones of all the employees on the campus. No I-T official was available for comment.

Sri Bhagavan (born Vijay Kumar Naidu) established an ashram at the Chittoor-TN border where thousands of devotees began arriving from across the country. Spiritual sessions are conducted by the administrators of the ashram trust, mostly for affluent individuals and notable personalities from the film industry.

Some of the prominent political figures who have visited the campus include former TDP Ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao and P. Narayana. The trust has launched several charity programmes in the industrial belt.

For over a decade, Sri Bhagavan, a self-styled godman, faced serious allegations of land-grabbing in the industrial belt of Varadaiahpalem and B.N. Kandriga mandals. When the ashram was established a couple of decades ago, an acre of land was worth a few lakhs, which has now soared to crores.

Sources said that during 2010-14, the ashram authorities were served notices pertaining to huge discrepancies between the ashrams assets and its annual income tax returns.

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Original post:

I-T Dept. searches Kalki Ashram near Chittoor - The Hindu