PBOT leaders say they’ve already addressed many of the auditor’s recommendations. They also say the scale of Portland’s traffic violence crisis is too big for just one bureau to address. by Taylor Griggs

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) adopted its Vision Zero Action Plan in December 2016, with the goal of eliminating traffic crash deaths and injuries in the city. But in recent years, Portland has seen its highest numbers of traffic injuries and fatalities in decades. Pedestrians have faced a heightened risk of traffic violence in recent years, and parts of Portland with higher low-income populations and communities of color are also disproportionately impacted. 

The daylight between PBOT’s stated Vision Zero goals and the increase in recent traffic crash deaths prompted scrutiny from the Portland Auditor’s Office. A new report from the Auditor’s Office, released Wednesday, says PBOT “partially completed” safety projects identified in its Vision Zero plan, but notes the bureau doesn’t adequately evaluate the outcomes of the safety projects it completes. 

The Auditor’s Office recommends PBOT create a plan to evaluate its projects “to determine which get the desired outcomes and where Vision Zero efforts are most needed.” The office also asks the bureau to install promised speed cameras to help with traffic safety enforcement and recommends PBOT “revisit its equity methodology to ensure it accounts for smaller scale improvements that could have positive equity impacts.” 

“These efforts to collect data, analyze, evaluate, and carefully track which safety projects have the most desired outcomes could help move toward Vision Zero’s goal of zero fatal and serious injury traffic crashes,” the audit report states. 

The audit report highlights concerns about the Vision Zero program that many transportation and safe streets activists have raised for years—though the Auditor’s Office didn’t issue as harsh an indictment of PBOT as some critics may want. Earlier this year, when PBOT leaders presented their 2023 Vision Zero report to City Council, some Portland advocates didn’t mince words about their thoughts on the city’s implementation of the program. 

“There is no question that Portland's Vision Zero Program has been an abject failure,” Sarah Risser, a local transportation safety activist, wrote in public testimony to City Council in April. “Given its abysmal track record, it is reasonable to conclude that it will continue to be a failure.”

The Portland Auditor’s Office didn’t mark PBOT’s Vision Zero plan as a failure in its report, and PBOT leaders ultimately agreed with its recommendations, some of which the bureau says it has already implemented on its own. 

PBOT, too, acknowledges that larger structural changes are needed to save lives on the streets. Bureau leaders say they will continue working on their Vision Zero plans, but they hope the city government transition will break down silos and encourage more involvement in solving the problem of traffic violence on Portland’s streets. 

The year PBOT adopted the Vision Zero plan, 42 people died in traffic crashes on Portland’s streets. In 2019, when the bureau updated the plan to emphasize transportation system safety and focus more on actions within PBOT’s control, 48 people were the victims of traffic violence. In the last three years, more than 60 people have died in traffic crashes in Portland each year, with 69 fatalities in 2023. 

When PBOT leaders presented the 2023 Vision Zero report to City Council earlier this year, they acknowledged the rise in traffic fatalities since the program was adopted. But they said the program is successful in areas PBOT has been able to invest in, and said the bureau’s budget woes have curtailed its progress. The audit report suggests PBOT could get more out of the projects it does complete by improving its evaluation processes, which have historically been lacking. 

“Without systemic evaluation of safety outcomes, the Bureau is missing the opportunity to create more alignment between the work they do on safety projects and the overall goal of Vision Zero,” the report states. “A more systematic approach would allow trends to be identified and analyzed to better understand the outcomes of completed projects, and which may need to be altered or dropped. As traffic deaths continue to increase it is vital that the Bureau consistently evaluate completed safety projects so they can see which are working best at shifting the trend towards the intended goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries.” 

The second major recommendation the audit report suggests is that PBOT “do more to enforce speed limits” by following through on its promise to install more speed cameras throughout the city. Despite research showing the effectiveness of enforcement cameras as a way to reduce speeds and increase traffic safety—without involving the police—PBOT has been slow to install them. The bureau has blamed its camera vendor for the lag in speed camera implementation, but says it now has 37 cameras in operation or construction, and current contracted cameras will be online early next year. (By March 2023, PBOT had only installed nine cameras in the prior eight years.) 

The report also states despite PBOT’s attempt to prioritize and fund safety projects equitably—based on both crash data and neighborhood demographics—it may be missing “smaller safety projects with possible equitable outcomes” if they aren’t located on high-crash corridors. The Auditor’s Office recommends PBOT use more qualitative data to determine the projects it carries out. 

In response to the auditor’s recommendations, Public Works Service Area Deputy City Administrator Priya Dhanapal and PBOT Director Millicent Williams said while they “largely agree with the recommendations in the audit,” it’s a bit outdated. Last year, PBOT issued a Vision Zero Action Plan update for 2024 and 2025, which addresses many of the issues outlined in the audit report. 

“Our current Vision Zero Action Plan includes priorities directly tied to evaluation, delivery of the camera program and speed management as well as equity objectives,” Dhanapal and Williams wrote. “The audit was conducted on work and commitments outlined 3-5 years ago and work that took place during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Dhanapal and Williams also said PBOT needs help from other city bureaus to solve the crisis of traffic violence. 

“Eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries in Portland is possible [and] PBOT can lead the way,” Dhanapal and Williams wrote in a letter responding to the auditor’s report. “However, Portland will not reach Vision Zero with street design alone…. A societal commitment to meet basic human needs and implement strategies to change current conditions are necessary to reach many of our shared goals, including Vision Zero. These changes require leadership, investment, and commitment from partners beyond PBOT.”

PBOT leaders say they hope that collaboration and commitment will be easier due to the upcoming changes in Portland’s government. 

“Eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries is a City commitment and goal, but as a City we have focused the discussion on what PBOT does to change streets,” Dhanapal and Williams wrote. “We believe the City transition provides an opportunity to reengage City bureaus in Portland’s Vision Zero commitment and integrate the Safe System approach to traffic safety as a comprehensive prevention strategy to save lives.” 

by Taylor Griggs

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! 

Good morning, Portland! There's rain on the menu for today, but you probably didn't need me to tell you that. Hopefully you know how to layer for November in Portland by now. Anddddd that's all the small talk we have time for this morning, so chop chop. It's news time. 

IN LOCAL NEWS: 

• Portland City Council is set to vote today on a five-year contract renewal for the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe district, as well as a major expansion of the service area it covers and a fee hike. A couple weeks ago, when this item was first brought to the council, many Portlanders testified against the contract renewal. Now, four incoming city councilors (Mitch Green, Sameer Kanal, Tiffany Koyama Lane and Angelita Morillo)—along with community organizations and dozens of residents, have penned a letter to the current City Council asking them to postpone the contract renewal. 

Why the negativity for Clean & Safe? Well, as an excellent new article from our Courtney Vaughn details, the Clean & Safe district is overseen by an organization that has significant overlap in its management with the Portland Metro Chamber, AKA the Portland Business Alliance. The new contract would funnel a good portion of the $58 million contract to the Metro Chamber, which they will spend on lobbying efforts for private business interests. The program is also convoluted and lacks oversight, and it contributes majorly to the criminalization of homeless people in downtown Portland. So there's a lot wrong with it. Read the article for more of the details, and stay tuned for City Council's decision today. 

• The Portland Auditor's Office has released a much-anticipated (by me, at least) report on the Portland Bureau of Transportation's (PBOT) Vision Zero Action Plan, which the city adopted in 2016 in an effort to eliminate traffic crash fatalities and serious injuries. But in the eight years since the Vision Zero plan was adopted (and been updated twice), traffic crash deaths have increased in Portland, especially in the last four years. In 2023, 69 people were killed in traffic crashes on Portland streets. Given the current reality, it's understandable that people are questioning how effective the Vision Zero program is. 

While the Auditor's Office isn't seeking an overhaul of the program, the report recommends PBOT makes several key changes to improve Vision Zero outcomes. The audit report says PBOT should create a better project evaluation system, install more speed cameras, and use more qualitative data to determine the most equitable safety projects. According to PBOT, most of the concerns expressed in the audit report have already been addressed in the most recent Vision Zero update.

PBOT leaders did say they are hopeful more traffic safety improvements will be possible when Portland finally (fully) transitions to its new, less-siloed form of government in January. The report just came out this morning, so there hasn't been much in the way of community response yet, but I'm sure it will spark some Thoughts, capital "T." 

•  On a related note, the World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims is this Sunday, an annual day to honor the many lives lost prematurely to traffic violence. Community organizations Families for Safe Streets, BikeLoud PDX, and Oregon Walks will join PBOT, elected leaders, and community members for a gathering at Portland City Hall. Find out more about the event here. 

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A post shared by Families for Safe Streets PDX (@fss_pdx)

• Here's a painful fact, courtesy of a new investigation from OPB and ProPublica: Despite President Biden's repeated promises to save old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, the Bureau of Land Management is allowing timber companies to log such forests now more than in the last 10 years. Biden's BLM is on track to log 47,000 acres of public lands during his four years in office— about the same amount that Trump oversaw during his first term in office. And, get this: This is after Biden made an executive order to protect mature and old-growth forests in 2022! Considering the rare beauty of these forests—and, more importantly, their importance to ecosystems and ability to mitigate carbon emission—this is very unfortunate. The Biden administration hasn't answered for the BLM's actions, or if they're planning to take steps to further protect old growth forests in preparation for the next Trump administration. Let's hope he makes some changes while he still can, because we all know Trump will be a lot worse. 

• Rene Gonzalez, after losing his bid for mayor, is seeking donations of up to $579 because his campaign is in debt. I wonder if anyone will pay him. 

Stealing this from the other site because y’all need to see it. Anyone gonna donate $579 to Rene Gonzalez’s failed campaign for mayor??? @pradapdx.bsky.social

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— Taylor Griggs (@taylorgriggs.bsky.social) November 12, 2024 at 5:11 PM

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: 

• President-elect Donald Trump (ouch) has asked Vivek Ramaswamy (ouch again) and Elon Musk (commentary unnecessary here) to lead a new government agency that he plans to create in order to regulate federal spending. The new agency will be called the Department of Government Efficiency, which just happens to create the acronym DOGE, a reference to the Shiba Inu meme of the mid-2010s and the joke cryptocurrency by the same name that Musk promoted. Apparently, a Department of Government Efficiency needs to be run by two people. I hope I am adequately conveying my tone of contempt here. 

As ridiculous as this all is, it's also extremely bad. Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy's plan is to fire thousands of federal employees, cut necessary regulations, and ultimately destroy many of the most crucial components of the federal government. All we can do is hope that SOME Republicans in Congress (we don't need all of them!) will realize how idiotic this is and block Trump's attempt to create a new government agency, which he can't do without congressional approval. Or can he? The limit to this idiocy knows no bounds.

However, given these men's volatility—which is replicated in many others in Trump's sphere—it does seem pretty likely that they'll all be in a huge fight by the time Trump takes office. I do think there are some major catfights on the horizon, if that gives you any comfort in these trying times. 

fundamentally this is what Trump administrations are all about: the guys. there will be new guys every week. they will startle you, you'll be astounded by them, and then as quickly as they appeared they will fade into an indistinguishable mass, leaves on the forest floor.

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— Peter (@notalawyer.bsky.social) November 12, 2024 at 4:39 PM

• Here's something that will NOT give you comfort in these trying times: Despite the hope last year would mark a global carbon dioxide emissions peak, humans are burning more fossil fuels this year than we did last year. The world is on track to put 0.8 percent more carbon into the atmosphere than in 2023. Though this is not surprising, it IS actually crazy behavior from humanity (and let me be clear, it's a tiny minority of humans leading the charge on this, though a substantially larger minority are eagerly/mindlessly participating in burning fossil fuels at a rate incompatible with the future of life on this planet). Good thing we will have strong climate leadership in the White House come January. NOT!!!! 

• One way people are attempting to #resist Elon Musk after he helped Trump get into office and will now seemingly play a key role in his administration? Leaving Twitter, AKA X, the social media site he bought and ruined. Bluesky may be the place to be now. (I am finding it much more pleasant.) 

In the week since the U.S. presidential election, Elon Musk has used X, the social media platform he owns, to reiterate his support for President-elect Donald Trump. Some of X’s users have decided they want to post elsewhere. Among the largest beneficiaries of that desire is Bluesky. nyti.ms/48JtYAt

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— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) November 12, 2024 at 10:46 PM

• Okay, here's some actual good news: The U.S. House voted down a bill that would've helped Trump censor and persecute his political opponents. The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act had previously received bipartisan support, but after Trump was elected, some Democratic lawmakers (and The Intercept) raised alarm bells. The bill would give the U.S. Treasury Department complete authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it deems are "terrorist supporting organizations," which Trump could use to enable the destruction of nonprofits that the future president doesn't politically align with. WHEW. 

• Finally, please watch this video of a little boy and his crow friend. ???????? Bye bye! 

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PlayList Management, LLC [PLM], a local talent management & development company, has joined forces with Scott Cooper, CEO & Founder of Talent Inc. and Evolution Management Company to host a Model and Talent Audition Workshop on Saturday, January 31st, 2015. PLM said, “Scott wants to see Bermuda’s talent and will offer industry insider advice on […]

Centre County’s pre-eminent classical ballet school’s annual production of "The Nutcracker" will transport audiences to a magical world where life-sized toy soldiers fight giant mice, snowflakes dance, and the Sugar Plum Fairy welcomes all to the Nutcracker’s Kingdom from the Land of Sweets. 

RAWALPINDI: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Aviation was informed that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has not undergone a formal audit for the past decade, raising concerns about its regulatory compliance and safety oversight. Four aircraft accidents happened during this period, underscoring the need for improved operational protocols.

The fourth meeting of the Standing Committee on Aviation was held on Wednesday, chaired by MNA Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan Babar.

The ministry concerned confirmed that the CAA has not undergone a formal audit for the past decade. The standing committee called for provision of all communications between the CAA and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to the committee regarding the lack of audits and their impact on the safety of passengers.

The committee was informed that the ongoing privatisation of PIA has led to suspension of staff transfers, postings, promotions, and the usual practice of rotating employees every three years.

Furthermore, financial constraints within the CAA have prevented necessary aircraft engine overhauls, reducing the operational fleet to just five aircraft and raising safety concerns.

The committee also expressed grave concern over the non-implementation of a National Assembly resolution passed on October 13, 2022, which called for renaming “Islamabad International Airport” to “Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Airport”.

Despite the resolution being passed nearly two years ago, no action has been taken to fulfil this directive, prompting widespread criticism from various quarters.

During the discussion of issues related to the Multan Flying Club, including the refund of student fees, resolution of employees’ concerns, and the submission of a report based on the audit and financial details of the club, the committee appointed a sub-committee for the refund of students’ fees from MFC and resolution of employees-related issues and sought a report based on the audit and financial details of the club.

The sub-committee consists of MNAs Dr Ramesh Lal (convener), Dr Darshan Choudhary Iftikhar Nazir and Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Aqeel Malik, Rana Ibadat Sharif Khan, Dr Darshan, Choudhary Iftikhar Nazir, Nauman Islam Shaikh, Ramesh Lal, Munaza Hassan, Muhammad Saad Ullah and Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

This has nothing to do with html or web design,
but some friends of mine have a cafe & they are
looking for musicians to provide their patrons
with entertainment. If you are a musician & live
in the area, click on either link for details.

Most small businesses can perform a simple audit and improve their SEO considerably without involving an agency. Ten steps you can take to get started.

I am a big fan of getting the basics precisely dialed in for small business search engine optimization (SEO). Ensuring you lay a solid SEO foundation will typically deliver around 80 percent of the results, for only 20 percent of the effort, for small local businesses.

complete article

The Internal Revenue Service is planning to ramp up audits of smaller businesses and their investors by about 50 percent next year, following years of persistently low examination rates, an agency official said Tuesday.

The result could be a surge in audits of companies ranging from mom-and-pop retail stores and technology startups to investment funds that have historically faced only infrequent checks thanks to the time and effort required at the IRS.

RegAuditor gives you a quick look at the Adware, malware and spyware installed on your computer including parasites and trojans. RegAuditor tells you by colored icons ( green icon - safe, yellow icon - unknown, red icon - harmful ) whether specific Objects are known to be safe or harmful. The tool is designed with a user-friendly interface and is easy to use.

BlueAuditor is a private area network auditor and easy-to-use program for detecting and monitoring mobile devices in a wireless network. It can discover and track any mobile device within a distance between 1 and 100 meters and display key information about each device being detected as well as the services device provided. With the growing popularity of the mobile technology, BlueAuditor �will enable network administrators to effectively audit their wireless networks against security vulnerabilities associated with the use of mobile devices. BlueAuditor enables the user to save the data of the detected mobile devices in an .xml file and supports the most Microsoft drivers available on the market. All the mentioned features are provided with a user friendly graphical interface.

SpotAuditor is an advanced password recovery software for recovering lost or forgotten passwords to more than +40 popular programs. SpotAuditor recovers passwords for Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Microsoft Office Outlook, MSN messenger, Windows Live Messenger 8, Windows Messenger, ICQ, RQ,Trillian, Miranda IM, Camfrog Video Chat, Google Talk ( GTalk ), Google Desktop, Easy Web Cam, VNC, WinProxy, Total Commander ( Windows Commander ), IpSwitch Messenger, IpSwitch Instant Messenger server, IpSwitch IMail server, WS_FTP, Far ftp client, FileZilla, SmartFTP, CuteFTP, FlashFXP, SecureFX, WebDrive ftp, FTP Voyager, CoffeeCup Direct FTP, AutoFTP, FTP Control, DeluxeFtp, FFFTP, FTP Navigator, 32bit FTP, Microsoft Expression Web Ftp, Dial up, RAS, VPN, Internet Download Manager passwords, recovers passwords stored behind the asterisks. The program also explores Outlook accounts, Visited URLs, Installed Programs and Start Run Programs on a local machine or remote computers. SpotAuditor displays the details of all cookies that Internet Explorer stores on your computer and reads all information from the history file on your computer, displays the list of all URLs that you have visited and allows to clear Internet Explorer history, delete cookies and temporary internet files. You can recover and restore any lost or forgotten password ever entered in Internet Explorer. Many applications under Windows system allow a convenient storage of frequently used passwords. The typed password is not displayed on the screen, and instead of the real password, you see a sequence of asterisk (*****) characters. SpotAuditor asterisk password uncover utility can reveal the passwords stored behind the asterisks in password text-boxes. If you forget your passwords or need to access some passwords or confidential information stored in your computer, SpotAuditor can really help you to do it. All the mentioned features are provided with a user friendly graphical interface.

Nsauditor Network Security Auditor is the best network security scanner for auditing and monitoring network computers for possible vulnerabilities. The software checks network computers using all potential methods that a hacker might use to attack it. Nsauditor is a complete networking utilities package for network auditing, scanning, monitoring and more. Nsauditor discovers network services and checks them for vulnerabilities. The software retrieves all TCP and UDP endpoints and shows their associated processes. Nsauditor discovers NetBios names, allows to audit MS SQL servers, scan remote computers for common Adware traces and more. The program also includes real-time network packet filtering and analyzing, remote network performance and network status monitoring, web proxy scanning, password auditing features. Nsauditor has intrusion detection system and firewall system to stop internet threats and block unwanted network connections. Nsauditor includes over 45 network tools for IP address lookup, network scanning, sniffing, enumerating and gaining access to machines, DNS and WHOIS lookups, e-mail validation and HTTP traffic generator. Overall, this is a very complete package for a surprisingly low price. The product contains a built-in database of known network security vulnerabilities, which allows you to select the items for scanning and add custom entries. Nsauditor can reveal and catalog a variety of information, including installed software, shares, users, drives, hotfixes, NetBios, RPC, SQL and SNMP information, open ports. It can also audit password and security policies as well as make a variety of network attack probes, such as stealth port scans, HTTP / CGI server auditing, registry auditing. The program can sniff and use brute-force and dictionary attacks on LM and NTLM password hashes and expose the insecure ones. Nsauditor does OS detection and automatically creates OS fingerprints which are not included in database. Reports can be generated in HTML and XML format.

The European Union Rights Management Directive 2014/26/EU, provides regulatory oversight of European Union (EU) Collective Management Organizations (CMOs). However, the Directive has no provision indicating how members of EU CMOs may conduct non-financial audits of their CMO income and reporting. This paper addresses the problem of a lack of an audit method through a case study of the five writer members of the music group Duran Duran, who have been members of the UK's CMO for performing rights - the Performing Rights Society (PRS) for over 35 years. The paper argues a new audit CMO member method that can address the lacunae regarding the absence of CMO member right to audit a CMO and an applicable CMO audit method.

Aim/Purpose: The need for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to maximize the use of their intellectual property and strategic resources for research and teaching has become ever more evident in recent years. Furthermore, little attention is paid in developing an enabling system that will facilitate knowledge transfer in the Research-Teaching Nexus (RTN). Hence, this study assesses the current state of practice in knowledge management of the nexus in higher education in Oman. It also explores the context of how Knowledge Management System (KMS) for the nexus can be designed and utilized by HEIs and challenges them to rethink their traditional approaches in managing their knowledge as-sets to boost individual and organizational learning. Background: This study provides a Knowledge Management-based framework and design of a knowledge management system that support the academic community towards the improvement of the nexus. This study sets out ideas from various academic and professional experts on how academic stakeholders in the higher education can improve and promote knowledge transfer and make better use of its knowledge and research assets for teaching and learning. It stressed the importance of having the knowledge assets or resources that can easily be pooled, accessed, and made available to its intended stakeholders. Methodology: Data were gathered from 29 out of 49 institutional quality audit reports of all HEIs in Oman. The panel comments were coded and analysed to extract valuable insights regarding the management of knowledge assets in research. Additionally, data were gathered from the institutional accreditation outcomes page of the same website. Manifest and latent content analyses were used in reporting the findings of the panel. Contribution: The study will contribute to a greater understanding and acceptance of Knowledge Management (KM) in higher education and extended the body of knowledge concerning knowledge management for the RTN. Findings: The reports revealed a very limited practice of the nexus in terms of people and culture, structure ad processes, and computing and web technologies. A few staff are involved in RTN work, there is an uneven understanding of the RTN among staff, limited joint research between staff and students are some of the reasons for this. Significantly, there is no explicit research framework or policy for the RTN, and systems and/or mechanisms are limited. Further-more, the reports did not account any use of computing and web technologies for the nexus. These limitations can lead to students with less academic, research, and graduate skills. Hence, this study presents a feature design of a KMS that incorporates various RTN best practices, as informed by the reports and literature. The design will allow the staff to utilize the research assets in the classroom, at the same time, engages students in research and scholarly under-takings. Recommendations for Practitioners: All HEIs must have a innovative system that integrates a formal agenda and approach, and set initiatives, strategies, policies, and procedures for knowledge management in utilizing research assets for teaching and learning. It must be designed so that RTN practices remain up-to-date, relevant, and responsive to the needs of the stakeholders, as well as, address academic accreditation challenges. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers can evaluate the knowledge management of RTN practices of other HEIs outside of Oman to effectively recommend the proper course of action for teaching and learning improvement. Impact on Society: This study will redefine the role and contribution of HEIs, which are key players in advancing a knowledge economy. HEIs are expected to be powerhouses where academic knowledge is discovered, created, disseminated, shared, and re-invented. They must be able to fully grasp the value of managing knowledge to be able to effect positive and purposeful change to the community. Future Research: Future work should include staff and student surveys that examine the knowledge management need of the learning organization to better inform the design of a KMS for the RTN. Thereafter, future research can test the stage to test the effectiveness of the conceptual design.

BBC Sport takes a look at the players interim boss Lee Carsley has fast-tracked into the England squad for the upcoming Nations League matches.

The Pakistani drama star expressed her disbelief at being asked to attend a late-night audition in revealing attire.

Also: changes to the Sorp committee, Brexit and transparency reporting

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says scammers are sending “very convincing” emails that look like an agency notification to schedule a safety audit.

Lutron Electronics, Coopersburg, Pa., a provider of energy-saving, wireless light and shade control, is making it simpler than ever to propose and evaluate a Lutron lighting control solution for retrofit applications, according to the company.

Washington – The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General is currently conducting audits of three OSHA programs, with two other audits planned, OIG stated in its semiannual report to Congress.

Washington – OSHA has stated that it will change some of the processes in its Voluntary Protection Programs, after a Department of Labor Office of Inspector General audit uncovered several weaknesses in recording and reporting systems involving contract workers.

Washington — The adequacy of OSHA’s future pandemic planning and the effectiveness of the agency’s National Emphasis Program on COVID-19 may be evaluated this fiscal year by the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

Washington – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration must make improvements to its oversight of state pipeline safety programs, concludes an audit released May 7 by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.

Four basic components, when combined, form a comprehensive assessment of your EHS program. Learn from KPA about regulatory audits, facility inspections, safety committees and accident investigation.

If you find the prospect of workplace audits and inspections overwhelming, this e-book from KPA is for you. Experts make the processes as simple and painless as possible, breaking them down into manageable pieces for readers.

Montreal — Noise exposure in the workplace can accelerate presbycusis – the normal loss of hearing as a result of aging – according to a literature review conducted by researchers at the Canadian scientific research organization IRSST.

Washington — The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General will conduct an audit of the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s ability to complete required safety and health inspections amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington — OSHA’s Field Operations Manual needs an update so the agency can “better address complaints and referrals,” the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General says.

The Machine Safeguarding Annual Verification Audit service verifies safeguarded equipment is being used as designed. The primary evaluation criteria are visual inspection and function testing of safeguarding, controls, disconnects, motor starters and properly applied mechanical power transmission apparatus covers.

Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, nicknamed "The Mother Church of Country Music," has never hosted a hip-hop show. After 125 years, Wu-Tang Clan will be the first rap act to headline at the venue.

Recounts are expected in two Minnesota House races. The election results could determine control of that legislative body. The upcoming recounts are expected soon and come after initial ballot totals changed when election officials discovered technical glitches.

The Department of Music holds an annual concerto audition in the fall semester, open to current members of the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra and to music majors performing on non-orchestral instruments (i.e. piano, voice, instruments from other cultures). Free and open to the publicInformation for Applicants: The deadline to submit application forms is Wednesday, November 6, 4pm in the Music Department office, 104 Morrison Hall. The application form can be found here(PDF file). Copies of the form are also available in 104 Morrison Hall. The audition jury is made up of Music Department faculty and outside professionals. Winner/s will be chosen to perform their concerto with the symphony, usually by the end of the next calendar school year.General audition rules:Applicants performing on standard orchestral instruments must be current members of the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. The auditions are also open to Music majors who perform on non-orchestral instruments including piano, voice, guitar, instruments from other cultures, etc. Applicants must currently be studying privately with department faculty. Concerti for single and multiple soloists, arias, concert songs, song cycles are all permitted. Repertoire must be suitable for the normal symphony orchestra, otherwise there is no restriction on style, length or period. The normal audition duration is 10-12 minutes at the jury panel’s discretion. Applicants are required to arrange for their own piano accompanist to play the orchestral reductions at the audition; the accompanist’s name must be included in the application. In cases of difficulty finding or affording an accompanist, the music department will provide one – this service includes ONE rehearsal the week of the audition and possible additional time for warm-up on the day of the audition. Applicants may present excerpts of their choice (which should be representative of the whole work), but must be prepared to play any part of the entire work if asked to do so by the panel. Memorization is preferred but not mandatory. Lengthy extended orchestral tuttis should be omitted during the audition. The jury panel reserves the right to choose several winners or none. Winner(s) must be prepared to attend all rehearsals and performances as arranged with the conductor. Safety The UC Berkeley Department of Music is committed to the health and safety of our students, staff, and patrons. Measures to protect concertgoers and musicians will be informed by state, local, and UC Berkeley Public Health policies and are subject to change.Accessibility If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact the Hertz Hall Manager at 510-642-4864 or HertzHallMgr@berkeley.edu. with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event. Facebook: @ucbmusicdept Instagram: @ucberkeleymusic  Twitter/X: @ucbmusicdept Youtube: Berkeley Music YouTube channel

[Sports] :
The government is expected to announce next Wednesday interim results from an audit into the Korea Football Association's(KFA) appointment of Hong Myung-bo as head coach of the men's national team. Yu In-chon, minister of culture, sports and tourism, told the parliamentary culture and sports ...

[more...]

Chartered accountancy firm LB Jha & Co claimed that 'LBJ Audit Ez' is a "breakthrough" for it as it can interpret a huge quantum of data necessary for scrutinising books of large corporations

The more plant personnel who participate in your facility’s food safety audit, the better. These educational experiences allow your staff to engage with the audit process and improve their food safety knowledge.

Job safety audits can mitigate the risk of accidents. But many rely on slow processes designed with compliance.

Sheila Correa Brown, CPA, CFE, is lauded as a special reviews branch chief at the National Institutes of Health

Taxpayers in certain niches more likely to be audited in 2024 according to Vancouver Chartered Accountants at Mew and Company.

Punyam Academy has added the updated requirements for ISO standards as per amendments 2024 to all auditor and implementer courses, and added a separate session on Climate change consideration in ISO management standards for organizations.

Quyeny Ly recognized as an executive director of IT internal audits at TriNet

Discover the not-so-common secrets behind transforming your website's performance and efficiency.

Punyam Academy is thrilled to offer a new, highly anticipated ISO 42001 Lead Auditor training. The course offers comprehensive guidance on planning and carrying out ISO 42001 audits of companies AIMS. It is based on the most recent ISO Standards.

ISO 27001 certification is a critical benchmark for organizations looking to enhance their information security practices and demonstrate their commitment to protecting sensitive data.

MorganHill, a premier provider of ISO 27001 consulting services, is excited to unveil its new ISO 27001 Internal Audit Template, now available for immediate download.

Punyam Academy is happy to launch the updated ISO/IEC 17043:2023 Auditor Training E-learning course and documentation kit. This newly launched ISO 17043 auditor training course with certification will help users to understand the requirements.

Punyam Academy Launches New E-learning Course on ISO 42001 AI Management System Auditing. Gain the skills to effectively audit and improve AI systems within your organization.

Punyam Academy launches IMS Lead Auditor Training, covering ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards. Gain expert skills in auditing integrated management systems to enhance your professional credentials. Enrol today!