Hasta La Gadget!

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In 2002, I thought the hardest thing I would ever do would be to force my body to exit a perfectly good plane. I’m afraid of heights: I get sweaty palms in all-glass elevators, a slight feeling of nausea on Ferris wheels, and a need to stand glued to the wall of any balcony higher than 10 stories.

It was hard. There was air pushing against my face with the force of 10,000 hairdryers, while every cell in my body was screaming against the will of my brain to remain in the plane. When the time came, I took the literal and proverbial leap and fulfilled my (then) life-long dream of skydiving.

The feeling of elation at accomplishing something I never thought I could do was short-lived.

I had a “bad” landing. In skydiving terms, bad landings are often critical and can be related to a parachute not opening. In my case, the parachute opened, but I landed with the force of jumping off a 6-story building, which resulted in several of my vertebrae crushing together on impact.

I spent three months in a back brace and the better part of a year in physiotherapy until I could put on shoes and socks without using hangers. I was off work for four months. Despite the gruel of the daily grind (showering was a challenge without assistance), nothing could have prepared me for the biggest challenge of all: returning to work, as a woman from non-maternity leave.

When I returned to work, I had hopes of a speedy integration back into work life. Work was difficult after my back brace came off, since I could not sit in a chair for more than 90 minutes. There were a few changes made that helped me to acclimate to my previous role: modified duties, which reduced physical in-chair time, and knowledge-transition meetings for changes to processes, products and role responsibilities. Despite these changes, I did not feel like a valued and contributing member of my team.

I sensed the discomfort and disbelief of those around me. Ultimately, I began to resent that counterparts returning from medical leave, also on modified duties, did not seem to experience the same isolation and discountenance that I perceived.

Years later and now at global professional services company Accenture, I recognize there were critical activities that could have paved a smoother journey for my return to work:

Open dialogue between manager and employee: What is the employee capable of? What interests them? Where do they need the most support?

• Standard expectations for employees returning to work: Man or woman, maternity or medical leave-defined expectations for the role when modified to account for specific needs. The idea of “fairness” needed to be more than a perception, it needed to be a practice.
• Regular checkpoints: Integration progression, boredom, challenges and career growth are all topics that will help to keep returning employees motivated and part of the team.

Read the full article

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We’ve gone electric, and there’s no going back at this point. Lithium is our new fuel, but like fossil fuels, the reserves we’re currently tapping into are finite–and that’s what investors can take to the bank.

You may think lithium got too popular too fast. You may suspect electric vehicles are too much buzz and not enough real future. You may, in short, be a lithium skeptic, one of many. And yet, despite this skepticism, lithium demand is rising steadily and sharply, and indications that a shortage may be looming are very real.

It won’t be a shortage in terms of ‘peak lithium’; rather, it will be a game of catch-up with the electric car boom, with miners hustling to explore and tap into new reserves.

Consider the number of battery gigafactories that are being built around the world. We have all heard about Tesla’s (NYSE: TSLA) Nevada facility that will at full capacity produce enough batteries to power 500,000 electric cars per year by 2020.

This, as the carmaker proudly notes, is more than the global total lithium ion battery production for 2013. That’s a pretty impressive rate of demand growth over just three years–but this growth also represents the culmination of a sea change in the way we think.

Lithium is powering pretty much everything upon which our present depends on and our future is being built. It’s a viable alternative to petrol and in consumer electronics market segment alone, there is no sign of contraction–only expansion. Think the Internet of things, or smart houses, or smart cities, eventually. All these fascinating ideas are powered in some way by lithium.

But the real and present coup has been launched by electric vehicles. Forecasts from market research firms seem to be unanimous: EVs are on the rise, EVs are hot, and EVs will be increasingly in demand as people all over the world are eagerly encouraged to cut their carbon footprint. According to Lux Research, the EV market will grow to $10 billion within the next four years. Navigant Research forecasts EV sales will rise from 2.6 million last year to more than 6 million in 2024. So, whether we like it or not, EVs are coming–and in force.

Indeed, says Nevada Energy Metals (TSX-V:BFF) executive Malcolm Bell, “It may be time to start worrying about a shortage, but it’s not a question of whether we have enough lithium–it’s a question of tapping into new reserves. Those who don’t see the supply wall looming, will hit with a resounding thud. Those who start tapping into new reserves will be extremely well-positioned for the future.”

From where everyone is standing right now, it may seem that the world’s got a fair amount of lithium. According to global estimates by the U.S. Geological Survey, there is enough lithium in the world – 13.5 million metric tons of it – to last us over 350 years in batteries.

Related: Iraq Needs Oil Companies to Drill More, But Can it Pay?

What’s missing from this prediction, however, is … the future, and indeed, the present. This calculation takes into account only the current rate of lithium ion battery usage. It does not account for the entrance of EVs into the mainstream. It does not account for Tesla, not to mention the growing ranks of Tesla rivals. And it most certainly doesn’t account for what is by all means a pending energy revolution that sees lithium as its leader.

Already, the present is clear: Demand is growing fast, faster than production, and for now this new demand is coming increasingly from the electric vehicle industry.

Tesla’s is by no means the only battery gigafactory out there. There are others being built around the world (at least 12, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence) and these gigafactories will raise the global demand for lithium batteries to some 122 GWh by 2020. That’s up from 35 GWh currently. It’s a phenomenal rise over a very short period of time.

In the U.S., there is already one gigafactory–Tesla’s, in Nevada–operating. A second gigafactory is in the works, courtesy of LG Chem. Brine-based lithium production in the country is concentrated in one place only, at least for now, and this place is Nevada. That’s because it is the only confirmed place with lithium deposits. The biggest actively mined area is the Clayton Valley, with presence from both mining majors like Albermarle (NYSE: ALB) and smaller, pure-play lithium miners such as Nevada Energy Metals. This makes Clayton Valley ground zero for the U.S. lithium rush and everyone wants to be there, but it’s the pure play miners who are set to explode onto this scene from an investors’ perspective.

Clayton Valley can hardly contain the lithium rush, and it is already time to look in the surrounding areas to secure future supply for soaring demand predictions. Those with enough foresight are diversifying their Nevada holdings and banking on geological clues that suggest there’s plenty more lithium in Tesla’s backyard, and whoever gets to it first will be far ahead of the game.

“When everyone starts paying attention to Nevada’s geology, we’ll see a land rush that makes the current one pale by comparison,” says Bell, who heads of acquisitions for Nevada Energy Metals, one of the pure play movers in this playing field that sees the wider lithium potential in Nevada.

“Nevada’s geothermal footprints are large and extend well beyond the Clayton Valley. If you put a mirror up to Clayton Valley, there is endless opportunity here. The real race here is to create the next U.S. lithium powerhouse,” says Bell.

How to Play Lithium

Look everywhere, and then look again. Securing an investment in Clayton Valley is a good place to start–but it’s also potentially only a flash in the pan. The best way to secure a foothold in lithium right now is to think outside the box and look for those companies who see the bigger picture but are also smart enough to keep one foot in the proven lithium hunting grounds.

Related: Is Doomsday Inevitable For Venezuela?

But you also have to understand the supply and demand picture here.

Macquarie Research estimates that in 2015 demand for lithium already exceeded supply, while this year, lithium output will again fall short of demand.

In 2017, thanks to so much new production capacity the metal’s fundamentals will near an equilibrium, which will last for about a year before deficit rears its head once again–but this time the deficit will stick. Despite new efforts to ramp up supply, it will take a while before supply corresponds to the demand.

The future is pretty clear: We’re looking at a period of shortage, and shortage is where the savvy investors make real money. The lithium feeding frenzy has only just begun. Consumer electronics keeps it safe and steady, as always; the electric vehicle boom skews the demand picture dramatically, and the future’s energy storage and powerwall evolutions take it over the edge.

The reserves are there, and there’s geologists estimate there’s plenty of unproven reserves out there as well–it’s just a matter of who finds them first, and who starts extracting first.

Lithium has the purest of fundamentals of any ‘commodity’ out there, and the next oil barons look set to actually be lithium barons. In fact, in this respect, electric vehicles will likely be the cause of the next oil crisis. Demand and supply are simple and shockingly visible, and that means there’s a lot of new money floating around for lithium exploration. If you’re not a believer, the immediate future will sweep you off of your feet.

By James Stafford of Oilprice.com

Source: Could A Lithium Shortage De-Rail The Electric Car Boom?

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Courtesy of the Humane Society of the United States

As anyone who has visited Tennessee will tell you, it is a beautiful state with many tourist attractions including the Smoky Mountains, Graceland, Beale Street, Dollywood and the Grand Ole Opry. Unfortunately, the actions of those who abuse Tennessee Walking Horses are also giving the state a black eye.

The decades-long practice of horse soring has been condemned by the horse industry, veterinary community, law enforcement and animal protection organizations. This cruel practice inflicts pain on the horse’s feet and legs to produce an exaggerated gait known as the “Big Lick.” Tennessee walking horses are bred for their smooth, natural gait and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) supports the many owners and trainers who use humane training methods to showcase this natural gait.

I serve on the board of HSUS and also own five horses. I can’t bear the thought of a horse fitted with tall, heavy shoes, its legs covered with caustic chemicals and chains, and hard objects jammed into its tender soles all for the sake of the “Big Lick” and a ribbon in a competition. These practices are meant to cause pain and are unbearably cruel.

The people of Tennessee should stand up for their horses by supporting new regulations put forth by the USDA to close loopholes in the current system of enforcement – it’s the right thing to do The proposed changes to upgrade the Horse Protection Act regulations include:

• The elimination of the use on show grounds of stacks, pads, chains, and hoof bands on Tennessee Walking Horses and related breeds, and
• The elimination of the current industry policy of self-policing to be replaced by the implementation of a new system of independent third party inspectors, who are trained, licensed and overseen by the USDA.

I urge the people of Tennessee to raise their voices in support of these new regulations by submitting favorable comments to the USDA immediately. Visit the government website at this link: http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2011-0009 and show your support for the Tennessee Walking Horse. Then post a message on your Facebook page urging your friends to join you.

Tennessee does not want to be known as a state that abuses horses. Here is an opportunity for them to help achieve change and send a message to those who show Tennessee Walking Horses that the days of the “Big Lick” are over.

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Sheri Shaw has always known two things. One day she would collaborate with rock legend Billy Corgan — and she’d eventually write pro wrestling theme songs. Now Shaw does both, composing music for the hottest stars of Corgan-led Total Nonstop Action’s IMPACT Wrestling. But, she admits, this dream job nearly slipped through her fingers.

Sheri Shaw’s Sstaria Records ‘IMPACT Wrestling’ Theme Songs

Shaw came close to her first dream in 2006. Surrounded by sports entertainment’s biggest names, she spied the Smashing Pumpkins frontman through an ice sculpture at a post-WrestleMania 22 party in Chicago. Having long dreamed of working with the iconic rocker, Shaw raced to her car to get a demo CD.

“As I was rehearsing what to say when I handed it to him, I just froze,” recalled the award-winning singer/songwriter during a recent telephone interview. “Something told me it was not the right time, so I just slipped the CD into my purse instead.”

Shaw’s friends understandably thought she was crazy. The singer herself admits also questioning the decision for years, wondering when she might again have the chance to speak with the rock icon. What she did not know then, though, was their shared love for professional wrestling would provide the answer.

“I had no idea [in 2006] what a big wrestling fan he is,” said Shaw of the Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum musician who would eventually become a close personal friend and mentor in both industries.

Shaw’s break came quite unexpectedly in 2011, when Corgan launched Resistance Pro Wrestling in their collective hometown of Chicago. On a whim, she Tweeted the company, offering to write original theme music for local female grapplers.

“I never thought Billy would see it — much less that he would respond,” confessed Shaw, who as part of the ’90s “industrial gospel” group Deitiphobia won a Dove Award (Christian music’s highest accolades). “But when he replied, he’d already checked out my music, which is still kind of crazy to imagine.”

Less than 24-hours after that fateful Tweet, Shaw had not only spoken to Corgan on the phone, he hired her! Though Corgan even convinced the brunette beauty to occasionally accompany local wrestlers to the ring, her primary role in RPW was Music Director. Soon Shaw and collaborator “Lyte,” collectively known as electro-dance music duo Sstaria, put aside writing “pretty EDM tracks about love” to craft theme music for stars of Chicago’s indie wrestling scene.

The experience later proved invaluable, when Corgan joined TNA as Senior Producer of Creative and Talent Development in April 2015. Promising to infuse a new energy and aesthetic into the company, he began tweaking its Thurs. night IMPACT Wrestling broadcasts on cable’s PopTV.

As part of these changes, Shaw stepped in to develop new entrance music for many of its top acts. Starting with former member of TNA tag team champs The BroMans — reality TV star of Big Brother “Mr. Pec-Tacular” Jessie Godderz — to newly-signed talent Marshe Rockett, she has now worked with a who’s who of IMPACT Wrestling.

Aron Rex Debuts in TNA, Accompanied By Sstaria’s “Resurrection”

Her most recent composition accompanied debuting Aron Rex — formerly World Wrestling Entertainment standout Damien Sandow. Though Shaw likes to delve into each character’s psyche, and prides herself on knowing what makes audiences “pop” for a performer, she was forced to write Rex’s music without ever meeting him in person. In this particular case, she says, it was easy.

“No matter what you write for someone like Aron, the women are going to swoon and the men are going to cheer — because it’s him,” she says of Rex, a former Money in the Bank winner who became one of pro wrestling’s hottest free agents after departing WWE earlier this year.

“He’s got that ‘it’ thing. The fans just adore him, as they should, because he’s a star,” continued Shaw. “I’m beyond thrilled — over the moon — because he’s a one-of-a-kind.”

With Corgan now as residing TNA President, Shaw suggests more positive changes are in the works. From securing a Marilyn Manson song for TNA tag champs Decay’s entrance to leveraging mainstream media coverage from Rolling Stone to signing hot, new talent, Corgan’s — ahem, impact — seems obvious.

“I call that ‘Billy Corgan Juice,'” joked Shaw. “He can do things the rest of us can’t. Just call up Marilyn Manson and get his song? That is Billy Corgan Juice, and he’s got a lot of it. I think we’lll see that in TNA.”

Shaw is certain, given time, “legitimate wrestling fan” Corgan will quell any concerns some might have about a rock star leading a pro wrestling organization. Calling him “one of the most creative people on earth,” she predicts big things ahead to “really push limits to make wrestling fun again.”

“I know that sounds crazy, but he’s very old-school wrestling in his thinking and his process of the whole psychology of [wrestling],” she said, “But he’s always on the edge of what’s new and exciting and fun to watch.

“With the combination of the two, I don’t think you can watch an episode of IMPACT Wrestling and say ‘Meh!’ if you’re a true fan of wrestling,” Shaw went on. “It’s just good. It’s quality, and it’s getting better and better.”

Sheri Shaw Appears on The Smashing Pumpkins Track “Anaise”

So too, it seems, is Shaw’s life as a musician. In addition to individually recording a track with The Smashing Pumpkins (“Anaise”, which she calls “the highest honor”), three Sstaria tracks were featured on the latest season of CW hit iZombie with more new music is in the works, Shaw says. Recent work with a songwriter who has written for successful industrial group Ministry has even yielded a few “straight up pop” tracks, which she hopes Sstaria will record soon.

“That’s where my true love is, being in that partnership and creating, whether it’s for 100 people or 5,000 or just my mom,” stated Shaw.

For the last several years, the singer admits her career has been “lopsided” — with Sstaria taking a backseat to pro wrestling. Now, she says enthusiastically, the duo is finding an equilibrium which allows personal pursuits to move closer to the spotlight. Having her music heard by millions around the globe each week on IMPACT Wrestling certainly hasn’t hurt.

“Sstaria will always be part of who I am as an artist,” concluded Shaw, “And now we’re getting more interest than we know what to do with — so we’re just making music and enjoying the ride!”

TNA ‘IMPACT Wrestling‘ Airs Thurs. Nights on Cable’s PopTV. Check Local Listings for Times & Availability.

Follow Sheri Shaw & Sstaria on Twitter.

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