text:
Big Visions for Micro Parts
Micromachined parts place unique demands on dimensional measurement systems. It pays to know the most effective approach for a given application.
Very small parts and features present challenges in part handling, measurement and throughput that require novel technologies. Requirements fall into two broad categories: Small parts that can be measured in a single field of view, and larger format parts with micro features that require high precision and high speed. This article looks closely at two distinctly different types of measuring systems designed to meet these disparate challenges.
Small Parts, Big Challenges
Featured Content
Everything is getting smaller these days—except expectations. It's become the norm to expect things to get at least 10 percent smaller, lighter, faster and cheaper with every new model year. This constant trend of miniaturization and cost reduction presents some tough challenges for manufacturers. Making things smaller means tolerances are tighter, workholding fixtures are more intricate, and inspection techniques require more precision. Inspection and measurement is one part of the shop where the challenge is particularly acute. This relentless effort to make parts and assemblies smaller requires new technologies to handle production demands.
How Small is a Micron?
There is no single definition of "micro," and therefore, no single solution for measuring "micro" parts. Micro parts come in a range of sizes and configurations, and process metrology needs to vary accordingly. In general, we classify micro measurements as being between a few microns and a few millimeters, but even that range is enormous, considering that a human hair is about 90 microns in diameter.
Micro-machined parts can be small and simple or small and complex. They can be fragile or solid, expensive or disposable. A common characteristic of micro parts is that they have tight tolerances, so high precision is needed. They also, typically, are made in high volume, so high throughput is needed. The main distinction between types of micro parts might be whether the part needs to be measured with high precision and high speed or very high precision and very high speed.
The choice of measurement technique for micro parts boils down to satisfying the needs for precision and speed to give adequate feedback to the manufacturing process. The choice is not trivial because precision and speed are typically a costly combination. Choosing the right micro-measurement tool for the job is important, and knowing the trade-offs can help.
The Dream
It's often been said the "ideal" measuring system is a device like a microwave oven. The operator opens the door, places a part inside, presses "Measure," and moments later a comprehensive measurement report pops out.
Obviously, that ideal scenario leaves out a few practical details, such as creating a measurement program that matches the print, establishing the part's orientation and datums, obtaining measurements without distorting or damaging the part, and being sure of access to the features to be measured. Still, the concept of the magic measuring box is an appealing one, and it's coming closer to reality all the time.
The Reality
A good step toward an ideal measuring system is the new breed of digital measuring machines, also known as large field of view (LFOV) systems. These optical measuring machines are becoming more accurate and capable of measuring micro parts as digital, megapixel camera, and image processing technology has advanced. For many types of small parts, common dimensions can be measured instantly simply by placing a handful of parts in the field of view and pressing a button. The SNAP system (from Quality Vision International) has an optical field of view of more than 3 inches, enabling multiple small parts to be measured simultaneously. These small parts can be measured instantly by simply placing several of them on the glass surface and pressing the "Run" button. The optics and camera photograph the parts, and the software recognizes them and runs the appropriate pre-programmed routine.
The Three Keys
While it all looks simple, a lot is going on under the hood to make these measurements. The first key to successful micromeasurements with LFOV systems is having a highly telecentric optical system. In other words, the optics must form an image of accurate size, even when the parts have varying thickness or are not perfectly focused. Telecentric optics image accurately throughout their optical depth of field, so they are tolerant of minor variations in focus. The more variation there is in the thickness of parts to be measured, the longer the required depth of field.
Telecentricity is not an absolute concept, and not all telecentric systems perform equally. This can be a challenge for implementing LFOV systems on the shop floor. A moderately telecentric system may display a part image that appears to be in focus, when in reality it is not. If the focus position is not set correctly, bad measurements can easily result. A top quality LFOV digital measuring system has highly telecentric optics. Such capability minimizes size measurement variation and always keeps it within the system's stated accuracy specs, even when the system is operated by a range of operators, no two of whom will focus the image the same way. The more automatic the focus setup is, the more accurate the measurements will be.
The second key to LFOV measurements is the high resolution, digital, megapixel camera. The added resolution of multi-megapixel cameras allows accurate measurement at a lower magnification than would be needed with a conventional video camera. Thus, the measuring area is larger, and more parts or features can be imaged simultaneously. Where increased magnification is needed for the operator to see very small features (and place measurement tools on them), it is possible to use digital zooming to increase the image size on the system monitor for a closer look. While digital zoom does not increase the measurement resolution, it is a great convenience for observing very small features during program setup.
Another important consideration for micro-measurements using LFOV systems is the measuring software. The latest software for LFOV measuring systems differs from conventional coordinate measurement software in several ways. LFOV system software is designed for easy use on the shop floor, so as many routine steps as possible are made automatic to minimize operations. For instance, the software can perform pattern recognition and auto-correlation to recognize parts in the field of view in any orientation, and automatically load and run their pre-programmed measurement routine. Multiple parts can be counted and measured sequentially, and dissimilar parts can be identified and either measured or excluded from the results. The operator simply puts some parts on the system stage and presses the "Run" button. The software does the rest.
LFOV system software also can make part programming easier by automatically generating a measurement routine based on the part's CAD design file. Measure-X measurement software from QVI can automatically generate a measurement routine using a 2D CAD file. The operator indicates two alignment features, and the software does the rest.
Finally, to make these systems really convenient for use on the shop floor, the user controls need to be streamlined and simple. A mouse or a touchscreen monitor provides simple controls that are comfortable and easy to activate.
The Need for Speed
Large field of view systems are ideal for measuring small parts that fit easily into their viewing area, but there are other micro applications that don't fit easily into the LFOV system form factor. Larger parts with micro-sized features, such as micro-electromechanical assemblies, need larger and more precise measuring systems to monitor their in-process dimensional characteristics. When parts are made in high volumes and a large inspection sample size is required, a larger format inspection system is needed to handle these larger lot sizes.
Special techniques and equipment are needed for this combination of micro-feature measurement on larger format parts at high speed. One suggestion is an optical system that allows the user to switch quickly between macro and micro measurements. Conventional zoom optical systems offer the magnification range, but can be a throughput bottleneck if frequent magnification changes are needed. In such cases, the zoom mechanism may need more frequent maintenance or even replacement when systems are used in 24/7 production.
For these kinds of applications, a fixed lens optical system with two (or more) internal magnifications allowing instantaneous magnification change is ideal. The VIEW Summit system from QVI uses this type of system, with two independent internal magnifications and an interchangeable front lens. The internal magnifications are 1× and 4× multiples of the front lens magnification. The fixed lens system design, with no moving parts, ensures constant calibration and high reliability, even in 24/7 operation. This arrangement allows the field of view and optical resolutions to be optimized for the part and feature sizes without sacrificing throughput or adding to cost of ownership.
Another key feature is a high throughput transport system that can convey parts into the optical field of view, or move between measurement sites, at high speeds. Here, the optimum technique to minimize move and measure (MAM) time depends on the part design. When the distance between features is small, the fastest system is one that offers very high acceleration in the X-Y stage motion. When distances are longer, acceleration is important, but overall stage velocity is the bigger contributor to throughput. Where acceleration is the key driver, a system with linear motors offers the best performance. These motors are linear electromagnetic arrays that do not need a mechanical coupling to drive the stage. Being completely frictionless, they are capable of very high acceleration to make short moves in a hurry. The straightness and squareness of axis motion is completely independent of the drive mechanism, too, so the operating speed is a minimal factor in the overall accuracy of the system. Where very long moves and /or heavier loads are involved, a more conventional rotary motor and mechanical drive system offer high top speed and lower overall cost.
An advanced technique for high speed measurement of micro-features is to eliminate the overhead of conventional MAM operations completely by making measurements on-the-fly without stopping the stages at each measurement site. This technique, known as continuous image capture (CiC), requires some special equipment in cameras, lighting and software. The camera frame rate, modulation of the illumination and the velocity of the stages must all be synchronized in order to make continuous measurements as the material being measured is conveyed under the optics. CiC offers the biggest throughput boost when the density of features to be measured is relatively uniform. By selecting the front lens to optimize the number of features in a single field of view and synchronizing the acquisition speed to an integral number of features per frame, throughput can be increased by factors of 4× to 6× compared with standard MAM operation.
Optical Blind Spots
While optics are the fastest and usually the best way to measure micro-precision parts, there are often features that are not possible or not convenient to measure optically. For these, a multisensor system allows alternatives for gathering the necessary data.
One common situation is the need to measure a
dimension inside a hole, cavity or recess that is too small or too deep to illuminate. To measure on the side wall of a hole, for instance, a contact probe would normally be used. But when the feature is too small to probe, one option is a micro-probe with a very small tip radius. OGP's FeatherProbe is an example of a micro-probe that has a tip radius as small as 1 mm and requires force of less than 10 mg to trigger. This type of probe can penetrate into blind spaces on even very thin or fragile materials.
For measuring depths or surfaces that are blind to conventional optics, a laser is the obvious choice, but even the best conventional lasers rely on a reasonable half-angle to return the laser light into the receiving optics. When features are too small or aspect ratio too high to get a strong reflected signal, another option is an advanced tool known as a partial coherence interferometer (PCI). The PCI technique combines data from the sensor beam and a reference source to make absolute depth or height measurements even in very high aspect ratio blind spots.
Meeting the Need
The range of measurement challenges in micro-manufacturing is as varied as the range of "micro" parts being mass produced. Making accurate, repeatable and, above all, fast measurements is vital for process control. With the right tools and techniques, many of the toughest measurement challenges in micro-manufacturing can be handled.
Related Topics
Keeping Watch on Small Parts
From watch parts to exotic medical applications, this shop takes on the world of micromachining.
Attain Consistent Roundness and Concentricity Readings
The CNC Swiss-type lathe is finding an increasingly large market as non-traditional Swiss shops find its production advantages for small, precise and complex workpieces.
Determine Passivation of Stainless
Properly cleaned stainless steel is naturally protected from corrosion by a thin, passive film. But this passive layer can be removed or scratched. A passivation meter measures the surface potential under controlled conditions.


text:
Apple's Record Plunge Into Debt Pool
Apple Inc. sold the largest corporate-bond deal in history Tuesday, a $17 billion offering investors hungrily gobbled up.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Deutsche Bank AG sold the debt for Apple to investors in all corners of the credit markets, from buyers overseas to municipal-bond investors to portfolio managers who typically prefer ultrasafe government debt. Pension funds, insurance companies and hedge funds also joined in the scramble.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Mariners place Catcher Mike Zunino on 15-day disabled list with fractured hamate bone in left hand
Zunino expected to undergo surgery next week.
SEATTLE, Wash. -- Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager Jack Zduriencik announced today that catcher Mike Zunino has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured hamate bone in his left hand.
A corresponding roster move to fill his spot on the roster will be made prior to tonight's (7:10 pm PT) game vs. the Minnesota Twins.
Zunino, 22, fractured the hamate bone in his left hand on his RBI single to left field in the second inning of last night's game vs. the Twins. He remained in the game for three more innings before being removed prior to the top of the fifth inning. Zunino's injury was confirmed by an MRI exam this morning. He is scheduled to see a Mariners team doctor today, and will undergo surgery early next week. Zunino is expected to miss approximately six weeks.
Since his selection on June 12, Zunino appeared in 29 games with Seattle, batting .242 (24x99) with 4 doubles, 2 home runs and 10 RBI. In his last 11 games (July 8-25), he hit .324 (11x34) with 2 doubles, a home run, 6 RBI and 7 walks. He reached base safely via hit or walk in 10 of the 11 games, and had driven in the "game winning" RBI in each his past three starts.


text:
Meditation is a way of exploring your experience. We can do this by focusing on different aspects of our experience such as sounds, or our body, or our thoughts and emotions. But there is also a rich world of experience waiting to be discovered simply by focusing on and exploring our breathing. Here are six simple exercises that can help you to uncover the subtlety of the breath.
Before doing any of these exercises it is good to prepare yourself by sitting comfortably, finding a position in which you are relaxed but alert, and gently closing your eyes. Bring your awareness into the present moment, spending a little time becoming aware of your body, feeling its shape and weight, its temperature, and the energy within your body. Then turn your attention to your breathing, making sure you are breathing through your nose.
And when you ready to finish the meditation exercise, take your attention into your body, and then gently let your awareness spread outwards into your surroundings, opening your eyes in your own time. Don't rush, but keep a sense of spaciousness and calm as you prepare to move on to whatever you are going to do next.
Exercise one: exploring your experience of the breath
After spending a little time being aware of your body, bring your attention to your breathing. Take time to explore the sensations of the breath in any way you like. Just tune in to the experience of breathing. Keep a sense of lightness, even playfulness, as you find out how it feels to be breathing right now. Enjoy the sensation of breathing. Feel the life in your body as you take in air and give it back to the world around you.
Explore your breathing as you would a painting at an art gallery that appeals to you. Keep on looking, noticing more and more details, delving right into the breath, going beyond your usual level of awareness. And when you are ready to finish, bring yourself out of the meditation as already suggested.
Exercise two: following the breath into the lungs
As with the first exercise sit in a relaxed but alert position, and bring yourself into the present moment, and then bring your attention and interest to your breathing. Follow each breath from beginning to end. Feel the sensation of the in-breath in your nostrils; let your awareness flow down with your breath into your lungs. Be the lungs as they expand and fill with air. Experience the point at which the in-breath is complete, and then sense the first signs that the out-breath is under way. Flow upwards with the air, from the lungs to the upper chest, to the throat, and then to the nostrils. Rest your awareness at the nostrils until the next in-breath begins to flow inwards. Keep following the breath in this way for as long as you like, then end the session as before.
Exercise three: following the breath to the abdomen
Although air only fills our lungs, the process of breathing involves movement lower down in the body. The powerful action of your diaphragm causes movement in your belly, as air first flows into the body and then flows out. Physically, it can feel as if the breath is a wave that goes all the way down to your lower abdomen.
Prepare as usual, and as you bring your attention to the breath, you may find it helpful to start by taking two or three deeper breaths before allowing the breath to find its own rhythm. Now follow the breath by tracking the wave of movement it causes in your body. Follow the movements and sensations of each in-breath, from your nostrils all the way down to your abdomen. If you wish, you could place your hands over your abdomen so that you sense the movement more easily. Then follow the out-breath back to the nostrils again.
Meditate in this way until you feel it is time to stop. Then come out of the meditation gradually.
Exercise four: letting go of the breath
This exercise focuses on relaxation and letting go. Prepare yourself to meditate then follow your breath to your abdomen as before. As you focus on your breathing, pay particular attention to letting go and relaxing. Let go of any tendency to want to control your breathing. When you turn your attention to your breathing you may find that it is fast, shallow or uneven; and you might not like it like that, thinking it ought to be slow, deep and steady. Try to let go of any such judgements about your breath, just accept the way it is. Let the wisdom of your breath and your body guide you. Simply follow it with awareness wherever it leads.
Exercise five: being the breath
One of the aims of meditation is to help you to be in your experience, to be in the flow of your life, the flow of your breath. This has very positive benefits in terms of releasing energy. Follow the breath once again as it goes from your nostrils to your abdomen and back. But don't follow your breath like a flight controller tracking a plane on a radar monitor. The aim is to reduce the distance between yourself and your breath, to be the breath. Be the flow of air that cascades into your lungs. Be the movement of your rib cage. Be the diaphragm as it expands downwards with the in-breath, and releases upwards with the out-breath. If you merge your awareness with your experience in this way, it will have a tremendous effect. Through this meditation you learn to become one with what is happening, to be in the flow of your life in an aware way.
Exercise six: keeping beginner's mind
With this exercise continue to follow your breath down into your abdomen. As you do so, do your best to approach each breath in as fresh a way as you can. Often we can take the breath for granted. But in meditation we aim to experience everything with what Zen Buddhism calls 'beginner's mind'. When you are new to something you don't know what to expect, so you are open to all kinds of possibilities and potentials. After all, life is new every second. The breath is constantly changing and no two breaths are ever exactly the same. Let yourself revel in your experience of the breath. Explore your experience as if you were having it for the very first time.


text:
Fusion-io is going to face competition from Micron for PCI-e-connected solid state drives.
Micron makes flash devices but is a relative nobody in the supply of server and storage array flash. Storage array flash involves replacing hard drives and is dominated by STEC and Intel, with virtually 100 per cent takeup of their SSDs by storage array OEMs. Micron partners Intel and so has no independent route into storage array flash open to it.
Server SSDs are focussing on flash drives connected to a server's PCIe bus. Here Fusion-io, with its ioDrive, is receiving most of the attention. HP is selling an IO Accelerator using Fusion-io technology and Fusion has also announced a good decision support benchmark with Dell today.
Micron has already tried its hand at a PCI-e-connected SSD with its Washington project. The results have clearly been good enough for it to go looking for a source of specialist PCIe and memory interface technology.
It is pairing with IDT for that company's PCIe and memory interface technology and aiming to co-develop PCI-e-conected solid state drive controllers. They will be integrated with Micron flash chips and the resulting RealSSD-branded drives sold into the server and embedded system markets. Micron says it will also sell them into the storage market, meaning, we undestand, the storage array controller part of it.
Mario Montana VP and general manager for IDT's Enterprise Computing Division put the marketing spin on this: "Our alliance with Micron, together with their enterprise flash products, will, in the future, supply the industry with PCIe-based solid-state drive solutions with unparalleled performance and reliability."
The idea is to have RealSSD product with lower latency, greater performance and greater levels of storage integration than existing products, meaning Fusion-io ones, and, we guess, ones likely to be introduced in the next six to twelve months.
Other competitors include OCZ with its 1TB Z-Drive PCIe-connect SSD, the TMS RamSan-20, and SuperTalent's RAIDDrive. Micron and IDT better get their skates on and have a good product ready next year or they'll be left behind. ®


text:
For over 30 years, The Entrepreneur Source® has been building a reputation in business coaching. We are now North America's leading business ownership coaching organization.
It began in the mid 1980's when our founder, Terry Powell, recognized the fact that 70 percent of the population has a strong desire to be self-sufficient, but only a small number actually find a way to make it happen – a mere 5 percent. Far too many people give up on their dreams too soon, when education and guidance could show them the way to success.
Having strong ties in franchising, Mr. Powell also recognized how many franchisors were in need of qualified franchisee prospects. Given this fact, he began to make the connection.
With nearly three quarters of the population feeling trapped on their current career path and so many franchisors offering the opportunity for business ownership and financial freedom, it only made sense to bridge the two groups.
To this day, no other coaching group looks at the situation from both sides. We pride ourselves on the ability to give our prospects the most comprehensive, objective, unbiased and meaningful advice available anywhere, allowing them to come to their own conclusions about their future. If business ownership is the ultimate solution, then we have the ability to guide prospects through the entire process.
Powered by Primero Systems®
©2015 The Entrepreneur's Source - All Rights Reserved


text:
Kolorex Foot and Toe Care Cream is an excellent cream for all fungal infections especially resilient fungal toenail infections, as well as viral infections such as warts. It can also be applied to help eradicate athlete's foot - a fungal infection that causes itching and flaking of the skin.
Kolorex® Foot & Toe Care Cream contains the strongest antifungal and antibacterial Horopito extract (kolorXtract-50™), combined with lemon tea tree oil for deep down cleansing; apricot kernel oil, aloe extract and vitamin E to condition and replenish the area; and lactic acid to balance the pH.
Apply twice daily.


text:
Success grabs some help from Chief Keef and a beat from Mike Will Made It titled "ETTM." Chief Keef's Bang Pt. 2 mixtape is coming on Thursday.
Success – ETTM (Feat. Chief Keef)
Chief Keef & Zaytoven "GLOTOVEN" (Album Stream)
Chief Keef and Zaytoven connect on the latest rapper/mega producer collaboration, GLOTOVEN. The project features 12 new singles by Chief Keef featuring production by…
Matt OX "Jet Lag" (Feat. Chief Keef)
12 year old Philly rapper Matt OX continues to show off his talents with the support of some of Rap's elite. For his latest…
Chief Keef "The Cozart" (Mixtape)
Chief Keef drops off his new mixtape, The Cozart. The indie project holds 17 new Chief Keef songs with one feature from Jenn Em….
Chief Keef "Chiraq" (Feat. Jenn Em) (Official Music Video)
Chief Keef represents where he is from in an all new visual for "Chiraq."
Chief Keef "Mansion Musick" (Mixtape Stream)
GBE rapper Chief Keef returns with an 11-track project, Mansion Musick. Stream the mixtape below.
Chief Keef is back with a new single produced by CBMIX titled "Pat Ways". The record will land on the Chicago rappers upcoming album…
Chief Keef "Ottopsy" (EP Stream)
Chicago rapper Chief Keef drops a brand new EP titled Ottopsy. The five track project contains one feature from Tadoe. Stream the project below.
Trippie Red "I Kill People" (6ix9ine Diss) (Feat. Chief Keef & Tadoe)
Trippie Red drops his 6ix9ine diss "I Kill People" featuring Chief Keef and Tadoe, produced by Ozmusiqe. His debut album is coming soon. Listen…
Chief Keef "The GLO Files 1 & 2" (Mixtapes)
Chief Keef returns with his latest double mixtape, The GLO Files 1 & 2. Stream the mixtapes below and be on the look out…
Robb Banks "Ride Wit Me" (Feat. Chief Keef)
Florida rapper Robb Banks debuts his new single "Ride Wit Me." The record features Chicago legend Chief Keef and will appear on Molly World,…
Young Chop "I Need A Break" (Feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR & Chief Keef)
With his new album King Chop 2 dropping on Friday, Chicago producer Young Chop drops a collaboration with PARTYNEXTDOOR and Chief Keef titled "I…
Chief Keef "Bust" (Feat. Paul Wall & C. Stone) (Official Music Video)
Paul Wall and C. Stone team with Chief Keef in their new video for "Bust". The record appears on their mixtape Diamond Boyz, which…
Chief Keef "Text" (Official Music Video)
With his latest project Dedication out now, Chief Keef drops a brand new music video for "Text". Get Dedication on iTunes here. Directed by…
Chief Keef "Dedication" (Mixtape)
Chicago rapper Chief Keef returns with a new full-length project titled Dedication. The mixtape holds new collaborations with Lil Yachty and A Boogie. Listen…
Chief Keef "Glory Bridge" (Feat. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie)
Chief Keef is releasing his next album Dedication on December 1st. Today, he drops a new single from it titled "Glory Bridge" featuring A…
Chief Keef is teaming up with DJ Holiday to release his new Dedication mixtape inspired by Lil Wayne. Today we get a taste of…
The Latest
Future "Perkies" (Produced by Metro Boomin)
Debonair Brown "Embrace It" (Official Music Video)
A Boogie Wit da Hoodie "Reply" (Feat. Lil Uzi Vert)
Future "Last Name" (Feat. Lil Durk)
Lil Peep "Everybody's Everything" (Album Stream)
Tory Lanez "Chixtape 5" (Album Stream)
Kanye West "Jesus Is King" (Album Stream)
Kirill & Jaco "Hublot" (Official Music Video)
Lil X "New Kid on the Block" (Album Stream)


text:
"If I Listen With My Heart" – Verse Three
- Items needed: light weight colored paper, clear stick glue, magnets, a page protector, clear tape, a lamp or lantern, a large envelope, and chalk and eraser.
- Print the story pictures, stain glass pattern, and word pages (make sure and print the picture of Christ onto light weight white paper). Cut out the story pictures. Cut apart the word pages on the dotted lines. Put a magnet on the back of each item. (Optional: Put a black background paper on the word cards.)
- Cut the stain glass pattern along the lines so that you have nine pieces. Using the pieces as patterns, cut out each piece from different colors of light weight paper (or print Emilie Hanson's pre-made version) Glue the pieces to the front of the picture of the Savior. Make sure the picture of the Savior doesn't show through the colored paper, but try not to use dark colors over the face. Using the photo above as your guide, cut the pieces into four parts. Cut out the labels and glue each one to a piece as shown above. Put the pieces into an envelope.
- Cut strips of dark paper and tape them to the edges of the page protector to make a frame.
Tell the children that they are now going to learn the third verse of the song "If I Listen with My Heart." Explain that this verse is about the Holy Ghost being a way we can hear the Savior's voice. The Savior communicates with us through the Holy Ghost. There are many different things that the Holy Ghost tells us that the Savior wants us to know.
Ask the children if they have ever seen a stain glass window. Explain that a stain glass window is many pieces of colored glass combined to make a beautiful picture. When light comes through the window, it's beauty can fill us with joy and uplift and warm our souls. Explain that the Holy Ghost can also fill our lives with joy, warm our souls, and light up our life with beauty. Like the different colored pieces of stain glass, there are different things the Holy Ghost does. A few of those things are mentioned in this verse.
Put the page protector on the board. Explain that you have several colored pieces of paper inside the envelope that will make a pretty stain glass type picture on the framed page protector. Each of these colored pieces of paper has a label on it. The labels are things the Holy Ghost does that are mentioned in the verse.
Choose a child helper. Draw out the piece of colored paper from the envelope that says "teaches truth and right." Give the piece to the child and have him or her put it on the page protector using rolled pieces of tape. Tell the children that the helpers will need to try to put each piece in the right spot on the page protector. Disclose that the picture should form a heart when completed.
Tell the children that in the July 1997 Friend there is a story about a boy named Christopher. Christopher had been given the gift of the Holy Ghost, but he had become concerned because he had never heard the still small voice. (Put the picture of the upset Christopher on the board.) Christopher told his parents how he was feeling (put picture of parents on board), and they explained that the Holy Ghost can communicate in other ways besides a still small voice. They reminded Christopher of the good feeling he had after telling the truth about spilling the red punch on the carpet. (Put the picture of the spilled drink on the board. Also put the word card next to it that says "I feel the Holy Spirit as He teaches truth and right".) Read the card to the children and explain that it is the first line in the verse. Ask "Does the Savior want us to know truth and right?"
Choose another helper. Give that child the piece of colored paper that says "comforts". Have the child put it on the page protector. Explain that the Holy Ghost can comfort us when we are afraid, sad, or worried. Tell the children that when Christopher was lost in the mall and was afraid, he prayed for help. He felt calm and reassured. He also felt he should sit on a bench and wait, (put on the board the picture of Christopher sitting on the bench), and his parents were able to find him there. (Put the word card on the board that says "He comforts me in times of need" next to the picture of Christopher on the bench.) Tell the children that those are the words of the next line in the verse. Ask, "Do you think Jesus wants to comfort and help us?" Explain that in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus not only suffered for our sins, but he also suffered our pains, heartaches, and fears so he would know how to comfort and help us.
Choose another helper, and give that child the piece of colored paper that says "Testifies of Christ". Have the child put it on the page protector. Tell the children that in the story about Christopher, his parents also reminded him of the time when he was reading the scriptures, and he suddenly understood a parable that Jesus taught. (Put picture of Christopher and the scriptures on the board.) Explain that the Holy Ghost can testify to us that Jesus is the son of God and that His words are divine truth. The Holy Ghost can also help us understand His words. (Put the word card on the board that says "He testifies of Christ" next to the picture of Christopher with scriptures. Tell the children that is the next line in the verse.) Explain to the children that the Holy Ghost also testifies that Jesus is our Savior and redeemer, and that because of His sacrifice and atonement we can repent and be forgiven of our sins. Ask, "Why does Jesus want us to know this?"
Draw out the last colored piece of paper that says "Fills with peace". Put it on the page protector, and then put the word card on the board that says "He speaks to me in quiet ways that fill my soul with peace". Point out to the children that Christopher didn't even realize that the Holy Ghost was speaking to him because it was in quiet ways such as warm feelings and thoughts that came to him. But those thoughts and feelings filled Christopher with peace.
Put the stain glass picture in front of a turned on lamp or lantern so that the children can see the picture of Jesus. Explain that we learn in this verse that if we listen with our hearts, we will realize that the Holy Ghost is telling us the things that the Savior wants us to know.
The chorus pages will not be needed. Hopefully by this time they know that part, but the stain glass picture can be used to help remind them of the words of the chorus.
(In Junior Primary you may want to sing each line of the verse as you put it on the board, and then review the lines at the end and try to sing the whole verse.)
To help the children memorize this verse, take off the first word card. Write its words on the board, but leave the main words blank except for the first letter. See if the children can remember what those words are, and then sing the verse. Do the same with the next word card. Continue in this manner until the children have each line memorized. Many junior Primary children know letters, so prompt them with the sound of the letter to help remind them of the word.
Safety Reminder: Use only battery powered lanterns. If you use a lamp, put the paper on the lamp shade using a straight pin. Do not put the paper near the hot light bulb.


text:
|ブル Buru
|Volume #4, Naruto Chapter #29
|Naruto Episode #17
|Kakashi Hiden: Lightning in the Icy Sky
|Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie
|Naruto: Ultimate Ninja
|Appears in
|Anime, Manga, Novel, Game, Movie
Bull (ブル, Buru) is a ninken and a personal summon of Kakashi Hatake.
In the anime, after they made a contract with Kakashi, Bull and the other ninken aided him to search the abducted Rin Nohara by the Kirigakure shinobi and acted as a diversion in order to allow them to flee.[1] They also helped searching for the fleeing Orochimaru.[2]
Befitting of his name, he is a large, intimidating black bulldog wearing a spiked collar. Unlike all the other members of Kakashi's ninken pack, Bull does not appear to have the ability to speak. Nonetheless, he and Pakkun seem to get along well enough for him to allow the latter to ride atop his head. Comparatively, Bull is the largest of Kakashi's ninken.
Bull is the largest summon in Kakashi's ninken pack. He has dark fur and wears a spiked collar. He also wears the standard outfit of Kakashi's ninken which consists of a blue vest with the heno-heno-moheji seal and a Konoha forehead protector worn on his left front leg.
Bull possesses heightened senses with which he can use to track his target with ease. He has also demonstrated the ability to track his target underground through the use of the Summoning: Earth Release: Tracking Fang Technique as well as hold a target down, allowing Kakashi to attack them freely. He also has has exceptional teamwork with the rest of his pack, able to develop and effectively use several offensive, and defensive formations in battle which make use of the manoeuvrability and powerful limbs.
Part I
Prologue — Land of Waves
Main article: Prologue — Land of Waves Kakashi called on Bull and the ninken pack to track and capture the missing-nin Zabuza Momochi. They managed to bite onto the missing-nin and pin him in place. This allowed Kakashi to use Lightning Cutter without fear of a counter attack.
Sasuke Recovery Mission
Main article: Sasuke Recovery Mission A short time later, Bull and his fellow ninken would be called upon by Kakashi to track down Naruto Uzumaki and his team who had gone off in pursuit of Sasuke Uchiha.
Sunagakure Support Mission
Main article: Sunagakure Support Mission In the anime, he along with the other ninken were summoned by Kakashi to investigate the Takumi Village.
Part II
Kazekage Rescue Mission
Main article: Kazekage Rescue Mission At the start of Part II, Bull and the ninken pack were called upon to track down the Akatsuki member Sasori using a small piece of his clothing.
Itachi Pursuit Mission
Main article: Itachi Pursuit Mission Several weeks later, Kakashi summoned the pack to help track down Itachi Uchiha. Bull was partnered with Naruto, Hinata, and Yamato. During their search, they encounter Kabuto Yakushi, who had just integrated Orochimaru's cells into his own body.
Paradise Life on a Boat
Main article: Paradise Life on a Boat
Blank Period
Kakashi Hiden: Lightning in the Icy Sky
Main article: Kakashi Hiden: Lightning in the Icy Sky Kakashi summons Bull and the other ninken to search for the exploding tags planted around the Tobishachimaru. Once they gather all the tags, the ninken give them to Might Guy.
In Other Media
Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie
Main article: Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie
Rock Lee's Springtime of Youth Full Power Ninja Chronicles
|The Springtime of Youth wiki has an article about this topic:


text:
Mergent Index Updates Mergent, a leading provider of business and financial information on global publicly listed companies, also develops and licenses equity, fixed income and commodity index and investment products. In addition, Mergent subsidiaries provide services in independent equity research, index calculation and administration and tools for portfolio building and measurement.
Products based on Mergent's Dividend Achievers indices, for example, have over $11.6 billion in assets under management and are offered by major investment management firms worldwide, including the Vanguard Group and Invesco.
Earlier this year, the Dividend Achievers' reconstitution resulted in a slight shift in sector allocations, with the largest differences in the utilities, materials and consumer-discretionary sectors. The 2012 Broad Dividend Achievers Index has new sector weights (see chart, below).


text:
I have been making Granola for nearly twenty years now, refining and adapting the recipe as I went along. This Granola is the latest version, and takes into account the many requests I received for a wheat free version. I've lost count of the number of cereals I've tried over the years and, for me, my granola is the only one that satisfies me so I'm not reaching for the biscuit barrel by mid-morning.
Jumbo Rolled Oats, Rapeseed Oil, Desiccated Coconut, Fructose, Black Treacle, Chicory Fibre, Cashew Nuts Pieces, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Golden Linseeds, Chopped Almonds, Chopped Walnuts, Chopped Hazel Nuts.
Allergens marked in bold italic
Contains tree nuts. Dairy-free, wheat free**. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. No hydrogenated oils. No GMOs. Made in a factory which handles peanuts and sesame seeds
**For coeliacs: natural field oats may contain traces of wheat. We cannot guarantee that this product is gluten free.
Nutrition Information
Typical Composition
Per 100g
of which saturates
of which sugars
Typical Composition
Per 20g serving
of which saturates
of which sugars
GL testing
This product has been GL tested.
Glycaemic Load (GL) = 2.2g glucose equivalent per serving*
*20g granola with 24ml semi-skimmed milk (without milk deduct 0.2)
This information relates to laboratory testing done on the product and does not imply a health claim
Payment can be made using the following major credit and debit cards: Visa, Visa Debit, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro. We also accept payment through PayPal.
Delivery Information
When will my order be delivered?
Order by 13:00 for same day dispatch - We try to ensure all orders that are received by 13:00 Monday to Friday are dispatched the very same day; provided there are no problems processing the order or accepting your payment. However during busy periods like Christmas, we recommend you place your order as early as possible, as there can be small delays when we receive high order volumes.
UK Standard Delivery - If you are not in a hurry your order will be sent using Hermes which is completely free for all UK Mainland customers when you spend £25.00 or more. Most orders dispatched using this service will arrive within 2 working days once it has left our premises, however please allow up to 10 working days before contacting us to let us know it has not arrived as we are unable to contact Hermes to look into late deliveries until after that time.
UK Express Delivery - We use DPD Next Day. This service is for UK Mainland comprising of England, Wales, Scotland excluding Northern Ireland, Highlands and Offshore Islands.
International Delivery Information
Non UK Mainland - EU & International Standard Delivery - This option is for all destinations outside of UK mainland. Your order will take 3 to 10 workings days to arrive depending on where it is being sent.
Import Duties - If you place your order from outside the United Kingdom, import duties and taxes may be incurred once your package reaches your country of residence. Pioneer Foods UK cannot be held responsible for any such charges and we are unable to provide information on what those costs might be.
If you are buying internationally, you can contact your local customs authorities for full details on the costs and procedures. As the purchaser of the Goods, you will also be the importer of record and should ensure that your purchase is in full compliance with the laws of the country into which your order is being imported. Please be aware that your parcel may be inspected on arrival at port for customs purposes and the Pioneer Foods UK cannot guarantee that the packaging of your order will be free from signs of tampering.
Where we are unable to deliver to your territory you may find that we have a distribution partner. Please see the list of international wholesalers here
If there is a problem with the product
If you have any questions or complaints about the product, please contact us. You can telephone our customer service team at +44 (0) 1733 362900 or write to us at email@example.com or Lizi's, 2 Southgate Way, Peterborough, PE2 6YG
Missed Deliveries - If no one is at home to sign for the parcel a missed delivery card should have been put through your letterbox with instructions on how to have the parcel re-delivered on a day that you are available. Please read the card carefully as most companies will return any undeliverable parcels back to the sender (in this case us) after 7 days.
Lost or damaged - All though very rare this can happen from time to time, if your order has not arrived within the time specified on this page, or your item/s have arrived damaged please contact our customer service team as soon as possible.
We aim to provide a high standard of service. If at any time you would like to discuss with us how we could improve the provision of our services, or you are dissatisfied with the service you have received or have any other complaints with regards to your order or otherwise you should contact us by e-mail at email@example.com
We will try to resolve any problem as quickly as possible, investigate any complaints carefully and promptly and report to you with our findings.
Please read our terms and conditions of supply for further information


text:
Sign up to notifications on this planning application
This file is not currently available
Plans, drawings and material submitted to the council are protected by the copyright acts (section 47, 1988 act). You may only use material which is downloaded and/or printed for consultation purposes, to compare current applications with previous schemes and to check whether developments have been completed in accordance with approved plans. Further copies must not be made without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
Tick here to show you have read and agree with the Copyright Notice.
Document Download Tips
How to reorder or group rows
Group: Application Documents
Group: Plans
Group: Representations
Group: Decision
Neighbour List
In addition to consultations with the consultee listed, we will publicise the application in accordance with national requirements and our local policy.
This publicity usually takes the form of letters to nearby properties, the posting of site notices and/or the placing of a public notice in our local newspapers.
Note: some devices such as iPads that use iOS browsers, Do not have the capability to downloading multiple files as a default function. If you are experiencing difficulties you will require to down load a free application to able to do this , known as a zip file . Go to the AppStore to down load a zip file app. Single file downloads are not effected.
Malvern Hills District Council, Council House, Avenue Road, Malvern, WR14 3AF - Directions to Council Offices


text:
Blog - The Strategic Advantage Web Log
Thought leadership for business development.
To BE or not to BE … Effectively
July 17th, 2017 by Dale Jones
"Marketing takes a day to learn. Unfortunately, it takes a lifetime to master."
- Phil Kolter
Are you a brand name stalwart, practically married to a coffee, computer software or a particular service?
If so, you're probably able to rattle off a litany of reasons to rationalize your brand name relationships.
Considering why a product or service earns your trust, hence your cash, is a science called Behavioral Economics: "… a method of economic analysis that applies psychological insights into human behavior to explain economic decision-making." (Oxford Dictionary)
To be truly successful in marketing and advertising, we need to understand Behavioral Economics (BE) at a deep level in order to most effectively influence potential clients and/or customers.
Long before BE had a name, marketers were implementing it, for instance, Three for the price of two offers. Yet, despite marketing industry leadership use of BE, to this day, few utilize BE principles in a systematic way.
Solid BE marketing management works like magic to make seemingly irrational purchasing patterns more predictable. Understanding exactly how small changes to the details of an offer can influence the way people react is crucial to unlocking significant value-driven marketing technique and dominance.
Marketing professionals worth their salt know: 'the ground is moving beneath our feet'. Fickle consumers are more demanding, enlightened and empowered. Hence, maintaining brand control is harder than in the past.
Customers expect brands to create meaningful, relevant experiences to simplify their purchase decisions and … their lives.
Behavior follows trends.
The secret sauce in BE is understanding how your customers make decisions and how your marketing should influence these decisions.
The Great Glass Elevator Speech
July 17th, 2017 by Dale Jones
Why the 'Traditional Elevator Speech' Leads Nowhere
As marketing and communication professionals, we're frequently asked by nervous entrepreneurs and professionals headed to networking meetings about the best way to put together an "Elevator Speech".
Fear not! Surprisingly and simply Willy Wonka has the answer.
First, let's define an Elevator Speech.
Wikipedia says:
"An elevator pitch (or elevator speech or statement) is a short summary used to quickly and simply define a product, service, or organization and its value proposition.
The name "elevator pitch" reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver the summary in the time span of an elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds to two minutes."
Back to Willy Wonka, the fictional character originally played by Gene Wilder and later Johnny Depp in the 1964 Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Incredibly, Wonka depicted the best way to begin thinking about effective 'elevator speeches' in his description of the Great Glass Elevator, which he called the Wonkavator.
Willy Wonka: "This is the great glass Wonkavator."
Grandpa Joe: "It's an elevator."
Willy Wonka: "It's a Wonkavator. An elevator can only go up and down, but the Wonkavator can go sideways and slantways and longways and backways…"
Charlie: "And frontways?"
Willy Wonka: "…and squareways and front ways and any other ways that you can think of. ……"
To be effective, think in terms of your creating a Great Glass Elevator Speech that moves up, down, sideways, slantways, longways, backways, frontways, squareways.
Instead of a Traditional one-way Elevator Speech which proceeds only from the speaker to the captive, often dismissive listener.
Let's look at a few reasons traditional one-way elevator speeches potentially do more harm than good.
For the complete article: Pay it Forward
An Answer for Growth Starved Companies: Thought Leadership
July 7th, 2017 by Dale Jones
Growth starved companies are commonly practicing Random Acts of Content; releasing periodic white papers, articles, videos, and blog posts with little focus or depth. However, when you are dealing with high level clients facing serious business challenges, this scattershot approach provides little value.
The answer is Thought Leadership:
An invitation for discussion…which ultimately provides an opportunity to get to know your client – and connect better – through meaningful communication.
A Strategic Thought Leadership Program helps position you as The Trusted Advisor in your industry.
Gartner, Inc. the world's leading information technology research and advisory company defines Thought Leadership Marketing as "the giving – for free or at a nominal charge – information or advice that a client will value so as to create awareness of the outcome that a company's product or service can deliver, in order to position and differentiate
the offering and stimulate demand for it."
A thought leadership program provides the organization, the executives and the salespeople with a sustained stream of education and advisory content to help open doors, make more effective sales calls, differentiate their organization and deliver trusted advice, services and product.
As you build a thought leadership position over time, your company will be increasingly seen as an industry authority, resource and trusted advisor, enhancing your brand's visibility and reputation, helping you generate revenue and inspiring client loyalty.
In order to reach those objectives, a strategy is required which focuses on the creation of content relevant and compelling to your target audience, engaging those audiences where they congregate.
Thought leadership programs enable companies to leverage business development, marketing, sales, and strategic branding.
There are practical steps your company can take to design and execute a thought leadership program to help your sales force generate measurable sales growth in the next sales quarter.
- Build the foundation. Like building a house, a thought
leadership program must be built on a sound foundation. If a thought
leadership program is going to create business value, it needs to directly
support your sales process and drive your communications, branding and
product sales goals.
- Create building block assets. A profitable thought leadership
program is built upon a common set of sales assets – such as original
research reports, client videos, client ideas, practical "how
to" articles, client education web sites, and advisory tools – all
integrated with your sales process.
- Deliver multi channel programs. Deliver these
thought leadership assets to your clients using disciplined sales programs
such as education events, monthly "micro sales campaigns", sales
calls, e-mails and phone calls.
- Take a Stand: Make bold statements that might
seem counterintuitive to what common sense says. You have to think about
your messages as something someone is going to want to read.
- Be Vertically Famous: What you want to do is figure out
to which audience you wish to be famous. You want to be known by all in
that very particular industry.
- What Does Your Competition Miss? It's a good
idea to see what is not being done well, or perhaps not at all, by your
- Develop Your "Voice": Whatever your
style is, make a conscious decision to use and develop it. This is
integral to your new branding effort.
- Get Published: There is a distinct halo effect
when you can add the word "author" to your attributions.
- Start a Newsletter and a Blog: If your
product or service has a long lead time, it makes good sense to start a
periodic publication online. An e-newsletter is the most obvious way to
go, but you should probably augment and amortize the content by employing
other channels, such as publishing your own blog. When done right, there's
no better way to spend your marketing money.
- Talk Less, Listen More: Ask questions of everyone around
- Press the Flesh: In this age of increased computer
marketing, there's a lot to be said for a physical presence.
Leverage your content. A thought leadership program is about pervasive presence and ongoing conversation, not just traditional publishing and speaking. Clients want to think about and debate your ideas.
To encourage and facilitate this discussion, you need to leverage your thought leadership content by publishing compelling bits and bytes in appropriate formats across the networks and channels frequented by your clients.
If you're working on a white paper, for example, you want to think: Is there a short video we can produce?
Where can we blog about this?
What articles can we publish?
Where are the opportunities to brief our clients on our new thinking?
What's Your Story?
June 28th, 2017 by Dale Jones
"… A story that resonates helps us to deeply believe in ourselves, individually and collectively, and in the vision for the collective experience." Harvard Business Review
When our kids were little, they would eagerly snuggle up on the couch to read over and again favorites such as Fuzzy Tail Bunny, Guess How Much I Love You or any book that would take us to Narnia or Wonderland.
Many recall with nostalgia gatherings around the kitchen table, hearing and telling stories about legendary relatives or perhaps amazing peers or simply the day's events. These instances are the beginnings and ongoing catalysts for most people's appreciation for story.
Storybooks to faith gatherings and beyond, we are continually drawn into the antics, emotion, trials, lessons and the humor of stories. Storytelling is in our nature; it is the way we most naturally communicate and engage with each other.
Storytelling touches our hearts as well as our heads. Stories provide credibility and emotion. Credible ideas make people believe. Emotional ideas make people act.
So what is your story? Is it relevant?
Tell me a fact and I'll learn.
Tell me a truth
and I'll believe.
But tell me a story
and it will live in my heart forever.
- Native American Proverb
Strategic Storytelling is the use of this timeless and infinitely familiar craft to focus and inspire brands, businesses and people.
Imagine yourself at a meeting with a venture capitalist. You need a few million dollars to launch a new technology that will remove pollutants from water at almost no cost. You might present a few dozen data packed slides showing revenues, costs, discounted cash flows, and projected profitability.
Now imagine relating a story about what inspired you to create the technology in the first place… about a trip you made to Africa, where you found millions of people suffering from an inadequate water supply, and how one family in this little village lost their children as a result.
Then, you describe a scene where this new technology has been implemented in that village, and the entire village now has an inexhaustible supply of clean water. There are no more deaths as a result.
Stories are powerful influencers, perhaps more than any other influencer.
Storytelling is the new differentiator. Facts and figures, specifications and price are all still important. But it takes stories to connect with customers on an emotional level. The motivation to choose one brand over another – when the choices are endless – is triggered by emotion.
Leveraging the 'Long Tail' in Your Marketing
June 20th, 2017 by Dale Jones
"The Long Tail" … a phrase that has been imbedded into our consciousness by Chris Anderson, executive editor of WIRED magazine through his book, The Long Tail.
Since gaining popularity, the term has been used to describe everything from viral media, guerilla marketing and grassroots campaigns to niche marketing and blogging.
More than just brand exposure, using 'The Long Tail' begins by building trust with those most likely to both listen, as well as spread your message.
The "Long Tail" as Anderson describes it is much longer, much thicker and more lucrative than any of us may have initially realized. We need to explore new niches, or go deeper into a niche we may have already found.
People are tired of buying the same old thing – cookie cutter products and or services. We all tire of being lumped together with the rest of our supposed demographic. While demographic profiling may help determine broad trends, it will never reflect the individual tastes and nuances. And, though seemingly simplistic, the time has never been better to seek and find specialized niches and market to those hungering for such.
Five Steps To Consider When Leveraging the 'Long Tail' in Your Marketing
1. Messaging is Critical: Using the Long Tail focuses your marketing message on clients – treating them as individuals with unique interests and needs – new niches.
2. Focus: Take the time to carefully hone a message that's highly relevant to each of your target niches. Speak to them on their terms, not your own. It is better to reach a few hundred people who are enthusiastically listening to your message than a few thousand who aren't.
3. Choose the correct tools to support your message: Media neutrality is key. Should you use traditional media? Social media? Or a combination of both? Use your basic research and your communications objectives as a guide; consider the types of social and traditional media tools that meet your objectives. Look at ways to extend the message from a standard press release into multiple social media venues such as video and blogs. Exploring smaller niche sites, bloggers and other influential online contributors are also critical. These are the individuals and media outlets that make up the Long Tail, where a large number of highly targeted messages can have as much impact as a single, big media marketing campaign.
4. Provide valuable content: Understand what your clients want to know and deliver it to them in a relevant and compelling way. Delivery of valuable, relevant and compelling content to your clients and on a consistent basis says you want to relationship. You want to communicate, to understand their needs and be willing to provide relevant services and products to help them.
5. Take a position as a thought leader: Achieve a unique identity – demonstrating leading-edge knowledge. Make your potential and existing clients feel wiser, smarter and safer in your hands. Whenever possible, provide them with news, video, links and other valuable content. The more trustworthy your approach and the more genuine your shared interest, the more receptive your audience is likely to be.
Abandon Random Acts of Content to Drive Leads, Grow Business
September 2nd, 2014 by Dale Jones
Content Marketing: Strategic Creation and Distribution of engaging, relevant, timely information
A recent Forbes article, 'The Disappearing Sales Process' discusses: "Research from Google and the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) citing The Digital Evolution in B2B Marketing provides new insight into buyer behavior, and it challenges the conventional wisdom.
According to the study, customers reported to being nearly 60 percent through the sales process before engaging a sales rep, regardless of price point. More accurately, 57 percent of the sales process just disappeared."
Content Marketing
Content Marketing can be a strong way to support the sales process before and after the salesperson is involved. Content marketing is the art of creating and distributing engaging, relevant, timely and valuable content that will be of interest to your specific target market. The goal is to drive leads, which will convert to new clients and grow the business.
Lack of Strategy
Companies are commonly practicing Random Acts of Content; releasing periodic white papers, press releases, articles, videos, and blog posts with little focus or depth. This scattershot approach provides little value to clients and/or prospects and hence is a waste. In fact, distribution of irrelevant information may destroy the purveyor's credibility with recipients.
Know Your Customers on a Deeper Level
Would you rather have a conversation with your best friend or a total stranger? A Content Marketing Strategy is really all about knowing your audience, knowing your platform and getting the two in sync. For instance, a software company might create a blog that contains valuable articles about their niche and how it benefits their customers.
Companies should create high quality content. By high quality content we don't just mean information. By high quality content we mean information that is first-and-foremost of real benefit to your key client base.
True friends provide one another with valuable presence and information. Content must be of value to your audience; anything less is insulting to recipients as it is disrespectful of their time.
Your Opportunity to Educate and to be the Expert
Create the type of information your clients need and actually want to consume.
Valuable content:
• Educates your clients, show them, explains what to look out for, and solves problems.
• Should be about what the reader needs or wants, not posturing.
• Should be clear and concise.
• Should be written with specificity
Marketing with valuable content is a win-win-win: getting into the heads of clients and prospects to the point of putting their interests first and supplying the information/solutions they need, inevitably leads business growth for all.
CEO as Brand? The Power of Executive Communications
October 20th, 2011 by Dale Jones
A Fortune magazine editor once observed:
"If you want to analyze a corporation, read its financial statements. If you want to plumb its soul, talk to its chief executive."
Companies spend fortunes establishing and promoting their brands, only to ignore one of the most profitable brand weapons in their arsenal: the CEO.
Surveys show companies with a well known, positively regarded CEO perform better in the stock market. However, it is very important for CEOs to be known by potential key stakeholders such as the media, employees, clients and the public for reasons beyond the price of a corporation's stock. A positive CEO profile will improve morale, recruitment and sales.
Even though CEOs are themselves a brand, many companies waste this asset.
1. Communicating Knowledge
Knowledge is not effective unless it is communicated. The proper way of communicating is not only through speaking, but includes proper dress, body language, social etiquette, media relations, government relations and investor relations. All of which sum up to public relations. The effective CEO needs to convey a command of strategy, and consistent vision to both internal and external audiences.
As a CEO, one must be able exude a consistent, credible persona to your stakeholders. This is achieved through appropriate, strategically timed publicity campaigns, commentaries, articles, interviews, public appearances, press conferences and so on.
Such communication is about bringing your values to life.
"40% of my time I communicate our company's credo"
- Jim Burke, former Johnson & Johnson, CEO
For the entire article: http://tinyurl.com/5rlkkzx
Bury The Hatchet
October 4th, 2011 by Dale Jones
The phrase (idiom) "Bury the Hatchet" means to forget about arguments and disagreements . . .
It appears traditional media and social media are at war with one another and that's not the answer. We need to move past the arguments and disagreements.
Some companies believe that just because social media answers some of their most pressing needs with regards to communication and marketing, that they should abandon traditional media. We all recognize the importance of harvesting a social media presence, but the biggest mistake we see in a company's effort to implement a marketing strategy is their approach.
A well designed integrated marketing strategy should take note of Aristotle's statement: "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." For optimum results, social media should be integrated with traditional media.
Social media has become an extremely important part of how businesses market their brand, products and services. Traditional media carries with it a great deal of credibility and although it may not create the same kind of buzz that social media creates, it is a very important contributor to the success of business. You must understand how to integrate social media with traditional media into your advertising, public relations and direct marketing campaigns.
In order to succeed, you must be open to new ways of thinking about integrating your social media and traditional media.
If someone builds you the framework and a process for integrating your social and traditional media, you can apply it over and over again.
For the entire article http://tinyurl.com/43bcn5y
Today's Marketing Model is Broken
August 3rd, 2011 by Dale Jones
Marketing is changing and it's time you considered your options.
Whether you're a large corporate brand like Audi, IBM or a small business trying to make it in this economy – you need to recognize how marketing your business is changing and how you can change to improve your business.
What are the issues? What are the answers? See our 5 Steps to a New Marketing Model.
Watch this video for more.
What would your business look like tomorrow if your best customers left you for a competitor?
July 28th, 2011 by Dale Jones
You're still in business.
Testimony to the realization: You are smart and you know how to survive this economy.
You realize your best customers are being courted by your fiercest competitors, both online and by traditional methods.
You're holding your own and keeping them happy.
You must have the service mentality, marketing know-how and fulfill a niche that safeguards your business from losing your top clients. Or do you? Do you know for certain?
Recently, Guy Kawasaki, former Apple chief evangelist, tweeted about a study posted on Social Media Today called "Social Media case study: Broadcast vs. Engagement in forums". The study's premise made a strong case: the traditional marketing concept of broadcasting a message at a market is less effective than building an engaging, interactive campaign which seeks the active involvement of the target audience. The study indicates a strong increase in views, and especially in comments, occurs when a promotional campaign that makes claims is changed to one that asks questions.
Kawasaki's conclusion: "Why not do both?"
For the entire article: http://tinyurl.com/42xfmsu


text:
Before you dig, get the dirt. Underground utilities exist everywhere, even
in your yard. Whether you are a homeowner or excavator, digging
without knowing where it's safe to dig can cause tremendous damage and
even loss of lives. So get the scoop, before you dig. Call
1-800-892-0123 at least two working days before the start of your
work or enter your location request on line at www.illinois1call.com.
known as the Illinois One-Call System. JULIE is a free message
service for homeowners and contractors to notify utility owners of
planned digging activities to help prevent damage to underground
Within two working days from your call, representatives from each
member utility, (not JULIE employees), will come out and mark the
approximate location of their buried lines using the following color
Utility Marking Colors
to Illinois state law (Section 10), each utility company must use a
specific color paint or flag to mark their buried facilities. APWA Color Code Marking Colors:
Go to the JULIE website www.illinois1call.com or they can be reached at (815) 741-5000.


text:
Picture this, tomorrow you march into your boss's office and demand a $100,000 raise. What do you think? Would you walk out of that office with a job? What if you demanded a $2,000 or $3,000 raise? Perhaps that is more likely. But it should be no shock that companies have been laying of tens of thousands of workers now that Obamacare is the permanent law of the land.
Starting in 2014, companies with 50 or more employees must offer their employees corporate health insurance plans, or employee #50 will cost the company an additional $100,000-$150,000 in taxes. That's $2,000-$3,000 per person. So if you are employee #50, you may want to brush up your resume. In fact, if you are employee 50-100 you may be starting to sweat just a little bit.
So why won't companies simply offer their employees health insurance? Probably because with a price tag of $16,000 per family for a corporate plan, it simply isn't economical. Companies could pay their employees the $5,000 or so for a private plan through a defined contribution benefit package as Sears, Darden Restaurants and others are opting to do, but that does not save them from the $100,000+ tax. Imagine being able to get money from your company to go out and buy your very own tailored healthcare plan where single men don't have to pay for maternity and women don't have to insure against testicular cancer. Unfortunately, the insurance lobby was able to convince Obama that personal choice is a bad idea.
I've heard a lot of people suggest that companies who are laying off en masse are doing so only to protest the Obama re-election. Yes, that's right, companies are intentionally hurting themselves to show Obama how upset they are. Really?? That would be like suggesting a pro-choice lesbian would get knocked up and have a baby to protest a Romney win.
It's more like this, if a company can't afford to pay $16,000 per family in health insurance coverage, they just might lay off 200 workers in order to save between $400,000 and $600,000. By the way, most small businesses with 5o employees can't afford $100,000 in additional taxes.
If you think companies are just bitter and that is why job losses are up 78,000 since the election, consider this: with Obamacare companies just saved $156 million by laying off those 78,000 workers. Obama is incentivizing layoffs by taxing employment.
Filed under: About the Candidates | Tagged: corporate insurance, healthcare, insurance, layoffs, Obamacare, Obamacare taxes, post election, taxes | Leave a comment »


text:
Change your business over to Xero
Xero makes it easy for your small business to stay on top of your finances.
Accounting and payroll in one, at one transparent price.
Unlimited collaboration in the cloud with staff and financial advisors.
Simple to use and easy on the eye.
Real-time financial data – accessible anywhere, anytime, on any device.
Automatic bank feeds, so you can see where the numbers are at in minutes.
Popular features that will change your life
We've created beautiful accounting software that's easy to use – some would even say addictive. Here are the features that make the Xero experience seamless, engaging and fun.
Pricing plans that go easy on your back pocket
We have pricing plans to suit all kinds of budgets.
Our plans have no setup fees or lock-in contracts, and you pay monthly.
£ 9999 (£99/mo) GBP / Month
Most popular
£ 9999 (£99/mo) GBP / Month
£ 9999 (£99/mo) GBP / Month
What sets Xero apart
Because we started in the cloud, we've had the freedom to design the dream
accounting solution. Already we've invested heavily to do it right and
without compromise. That's why people love Xero.
Trusted by over 2 million+ subscribers
We've built the trust of our customers by being open and collaborative. Our team of over 1000 people are passionate about making accounting software that's intuitive and easy to use.
An ecosystem of 800+ add-on applications
You're spoilt for choice with applications like inventory, invoicing, time tracking and expenses. They integrate with Xero to save your business time and money.


text:
Balenciaga Holiday 2014 Bag Collection
A nice treat from Balenciaga, the Holiday Bag Collection for the Fall and Winter 2014 seasons. These accessories are special editions, pack them up as a Christmas gift for your loved ones.
Who doesn't love the Classic City Bag Collection? It's what made the brand so-famous in the first place, the motorcycle handbags, timeless and classics, they will never go out of trend.
Now introducing, the Giant City in matte and patent leather to create a subtle graphic effect. The style is a bit chic'er than what we're used to – with hand-stitches handles, removable shoulder strap, top zip closure, front zip pocket and leather framed mirror.
Refined with shiny palladium metal hardware, the interior comes with a zip pocket embossed with Balenciaga signature and double phone compartment. Wait there is more…
The Balenciaga Holiday Collection also consists of the Maillon Mini Trapeze, the Padlock Work XS, all available in 'Grey' or 'Purple' color. And now the details:
Balenciaga Giant City Bag
Price: $2125 USD and €1445 euro's
Size: 24 x 16 x 6 (W x H x D) in cm
Balenciaga Padlock Work XS Bag
Price: $2345 USD and €1595 euro's
Size: 34 x 31 x 14 (W x H x D) in cm
Balenciaga Maillon Mini Trapeze Bag
Price: $1545 USD and €1045 euro's
Size: 27 x 21 x 10 (W x H x D) in cm


text:
MSNBC (stylized msnbc) is a liberal propaganda 24-hour cable "news" channel and website aligned with the Democrat party. Jointly owned by Comcast and General Electric, MSNBC is considered by many to be one of the most liberal cable news channels of all the mainstream media. For years, MSNBC trailed Fox News and CNN in the ratings. However, it began beating CNN after the ratings for that network began to freefall.[1] In 2014 CNN beat MSNBC. [2] MSNBC typically garners ratings that are just one-third those of the Fox News Channel. Some consider it to be the liberal counterpart to the conservative Fox News. In 2012, Microsoft fully divested itself from MSNBC resulting in a the creation of NBC news and NBCnews.com. [3] It is possible Microsoft divested due to MSNBC's liberal hypocrisy since they opined that "we wanted to show different perspectives."
The Daily Caller observed that MSNBC "might be trying a little too hard to push" its agenda ("MSNBC duped: Network runs satirical fake news"), and that wasn't the first time.[4]
The MSNBC channel was started in 1996 as a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC. On December 23, 2005, ending a partnership that had soured long before, Microsoft and NBC announced that they would dissolve their joint ownership of the cable news channel, with NBC taking control. NBC completed a deal to assume majority control of the channel, with an 82% stake.[5] The joint venture with Microsoft has come to an end.[6]
On January 28, 2011 Comcast, America's largest cable operator, purchased NBC Universal, which includes MSNBC, from former parent company General Electric. [7] [8][9] Comcast acquired a 51-percent stake in NBC Universal, creating a $30-billion business that would include broadcast, cable networks, movie studios and theme parks. [10] Some liberals fear that Comcast might turn into a more conservative outlet. [11] [12] Some critics and supporters of Keith Olbermann blame Comcast for his firing from MSNBC. In addition, on July 2012, Microsoft also dropped MSNBC from its ownership, although it was still allowed to retain the name.[13]
MSNBC is blatantly Communist. One of their anchors, Melissa Harris-Perry, was featured in an MSNBC promotional video explaining that children "belong to whole communities" instead of their parents. [14] The promo is part of the Marxist "Forward" (MSNBC refers to it as "Lean Forward") campaign that has been going on since the late 19th century. [15]
MSNBC adopted the slogan "lean forward" which appears onscreen, which proves that the network decided to stop hiding their blatant liberal and communist bias from viewers.
State run
Publicly, the channel claims to be a non-biased, journalist driven news network. In reality, they are Democrat-aligned to the point that they are perceived as the press Secretary for the Obama Administration. On several occasions, Obama Administration officials have stated their public support for MSNBC.
Opinion-driven news is common and a successful formula at Fox News. MSNBC opinion news includes attacking Republicans relentlessly (and with no factual basis) and promoting or whitewashing Democrat politicians. Their remarks are so outlandish, choke full of proven lies and mean spirited that their TV hosts often get suspended from the air.
Low ratings
The MSNBC network has perennially had very low ratings. In 2002, the network was regularly beaten in the ratings by CNN Headline News. The CEO of Microsoft once even admitted that he wouldn't have started MSNBC knowing what he knew later.[16] In June of 2006, CNN co-founder Reese Schoenfeld told journalist Don Kaplan that "Everybody compares MSNBC to Fox and CNN - when its real competition is Headline News". Schoenfeld pointed out that the ratings for MSNBC and Headline News are roughly the same, about 300,000 viewers on average and that "by comparison, Fox and CNN regularly average three or four times as many viewers." Kaplan even joked that "the running joke in TV news is Fox and CNN are news channels with websites, but MSNBC is a website with a cable channel".[17]
Shock jock Don Imus's radio show Imus in the Morning was simulcast on MSNBC for over ten years. During this time, the program become well-known for displaying offensive commentary. However, MSNBC continued to support the show. In April of 2007, the network sparked outrage when during a broadcast of Imus in the Morning, Don Imus and another MSNBC staff member made remarks about the Rutgers University women's basketball team, considered to be both racist and sexist. Initially, MSNBC refused to cancel the show. After sponsors started withdrawing their advertisements from the show, MSNBC canceled the simulcast of Imus in the Morning.
Liberal bias
MSNBC has been criticized regarding the channel's liberal slant. The media watchdog group the Media Research Center[18] has cited MSNBC shows by Keith Olbermann, Dan Abrams and Chris Matthews in its criticism of the network's biased reporting. Among the networks daily lineup, liberals include Matthews, Ed Schultz, Rachel Maddow, Melissa Harris-Perry, Lawrence O'Donnell, and Chris Hayes. Joe Scarborough, a moderate Republican who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida, is the sole conservative voice with a show on the network. Having several liberals and one conservative is clearly not balanced.
Olbermann has denounced President Bush and the Republican Party, calling the latter a "terrorist organization". He has called on President Bush and Vice President Cheney to resign.[19] Olbermann has conducted post-debate interviews of Republican presidential candidates and led live coverage of presidential primaries. In the February 2008 issue of Men's Journal magazine, a senior executive at MSNBC stated that Olbermann "runs MSNBC" and that "because of his success, he's in charge" of the network.[20] Olbermann has since left the network and returned to sports journalism at ESPN
The left-wing advocacy group Media Matters for America[21] has criticized the MSNBC's commitment to promoting a left-wing agenda since the channel has had shows hosted by left-libertarian Tucker Carlson and former moderate Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough. Ironically, on August 16, 2007 Scarborough revealed an incident in which people in the MSNBC newsroom ceaselessly booed President Bush during a State of the Union address.[22]
In the past, MSNBC shows have featured Mitch Albom, Ann Coulter, Phil Donahue, Bill Moyers, Maury Povich, and Michael Savage, among others. That varied programming was gradually reduced as MSNBC veered more leftist in its point-of-view. Among MSNBC's 2008 lineup, Patrick Buchanan was perhaps the most conservative voice.
In 2003, in an apparent effort to appear more balanced, MSNBC fired talk-show host Phil Donahue. An internal memo read, in part, "Donahue represents a difficult public face for NBC in a time of war. At the same time, our competitors are waving the flag at every opportunity." [23] [24] [25]
On November 5, 2007, the New York Times reported that the cable news channel was in serious discussions with Rosie O'Donnell to have a prime-time show on the network. Under one scenario, O'Donnell would be given the 9 p.m. slot where she would compete with Larry King Live on CNN and Hannity & Colmes on the Fox News Channel. Her show would replace Live with Dan Abrams, a low-rated program that only recently replaced Scarborough Country.[26] The deal later fell through as O'Donnell leaked information about the agreement without MSNBC's permission.
Later in November of 2007, the president of MSNBC, Phil Griffin, flat out admitted that the network has a left-wing liberal bias. In a New York Times article, he said that "it happened naturally" and that "there is a Go for it" mentality when it comes to pushing the liberal agenda among the MSNBC staff.[27]
Continuing its offensive against the Bush administration and its reposition as a left-wing "news" outlet, in December of 2007, the network ran a series titled Bush League Justice with the explicit purpose of attacking the U.S. Justice Department under the presidency of George W. Bush.
In October 2010, MSNBC has publicly acknowleged its liberalism in October 2010 while launching a marketing campaign with the tagline "Lean Forward," [28] [29] [30] [31] following several years in which many observers noted a leftward shift in the channel's programming [32] [33] [34]. As a result, NBC Universal and Microsoft is considering changing the name of the less partisan msnbc.com, a separate news company, to prevent confusion with the liberal TV network, MSNBC [35]. Some of the NBC News correspondents and producers, who attempt to be straightforward reporters, say they are embarrassed to be associated with the liberal cable outlet and fear being "tainted" by association with it [36]. The situation became more apparent when NBC News decided to keep Brian Williams and Tom Brokaw away from MSNBC during the November 2, 2010 midterm election coverage [37].
In July 2013, former MSNBC senior producer Jeff Cohen attacked MSNBC for being what he called the "official network of the Obama White House." [38]
The MSNBC – White House connection
During coverage of the Gulf Oil Spill, Democrat party apparatchik Mika Brzezinski, who is also an anchor of the MSNBC show Morning Joe, worked with the White House to distribute propaganda falsely claiming that Obama was doing an effective job managing the problem. Brzezinski, who is the daughter of NSA Zbigniew Brzezinski from the failed Carter administration, admitted on the air that "I have a file that I've been working on with the White House."[39]
The MSNBC – Media Matters connection
Media Matters for America is a very popular source of information within MSNBC's prime time lineup. Some might argue MSNBC is a defacto mouth piece for the organization..[40] In prime time alone, since 2005 Media Matters has either been booked as a guest and/or mentioned on the network nearly 200 times. Media Matters has been particularly popular with MSNBC's producers during the last 2 years. Below are some interesting tid bits about Media Matters and its growing relationship with MSNBC's prime time programming:
- 197 guest appearances and/or on-air mentions on MSNBC's prime time since January 2005
- Of the roughly 390 broadcast evenings on MSNBC since July 2010, Media Matters has either been booked as a guest and/or mentioned on air 26% of the possible broadcast evenings (1 out of every 4 days).
- In 2011, on average, a Media Matters representative appeared on MSNBC at least once per week
- Eric Boehlert has been the most popular Media Matters representative on MSNBC, accounting for 43% of all Media Matters appearances on the cable network
- The Ed Show is the most popular show for Media Matters representatives, accounting for 72 Media Matters guest appearances since 2009[41]
See also
External links
- Official Site
- Photos of the MSNBC studio
- MSNBC President Admits: Lineup Tilts Leftward
- Cable Channel Nods to Ratings and Leans Left
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/03/business/media/cnn-ratings-decline-stirs-worries.html
- ↑ http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2014/12/30/cnn-ends-2014-firmly-ahead-of-msnbc-full-release/
- ↑ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-16/msnbc-website-renamed-nbcnews-com-after-microsoft-split.html
- ↑ http://dailycaller.com/2012/04/05/msnbc-duped-network-runs-satirical-fake-news-from-daily-kos-as-a-real-story/
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/microsoft-nbc-dissolve-msnbccom-joint-venture/article4418455/
- ↑ New York Times; With Deal, G.E. Clears Path to Sale of NBC
- ↑ Sarasota Herald-Tribune; Corporate Report
- ↑ http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/done-deal-fcc-department-of-justice-approve-comcast-nbc-universal-acquisition_b48942
- ↑ http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110118/bs_nm/us_nbc_comcast_13
- ↑ http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/11/09/socialist-senator-wants-comcast-nbc-deal-blocked-due-olbermanns-suspe
- ↑ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/11/6/145630/235
- ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/15/microsoft-nbc-news-dissolve-msnbc-joint-venture_n_1675071.html
- ↑ http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/04/09/critics-slam-msnbc-hosts-claim-that-kids-belong-to-community-not-parents/
- ↑ http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/apr/30/new-obama-slogan-has-long-ties-marxism-socialism/
- ↑ http://news.com.com/2100-1023-268073.html
- ↑ http://newsbusters.org/node/5891
- ↑ About Media Research Center www.mediaresearch.org
- ↑ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19588942/
- ↑ http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/olbermann_talks_office_politics_other_politics_74648.asp
- ↑ Media Matters for America homepage www.mediamatters.org
- ↑ http://newsbusters.org/node/14899/print
- ↑ http://mediamatters.org/items/200410290004
- ↑ http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/03/24/1446244
- ↑ http://www.allyourtv.com/0203season/news/02252003donahue.html
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/05/business/media/05cnd-msnbc.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/06/business/media/06msnb.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin
- ↑ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39507182/ns/business-media_biz/
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/business/media/05adco.html?_r=1
- ↑ http://theweek.com/article/index/207856/msnbcs-new-slogan-what-does-it-even-mean
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkinYM4EPy0
- ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/30/study-nbc-news-doesnt-fol_n_139162.html
- ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090800008_pf.html
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/business/media/08msnbc.html?pagewanted=print
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/business/media/07msnbc.html
- ↑ http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=39332
- ↑ http://mediaconfidential.blogspot.com/2010/10/nbc-news-separates-itself-from-partisan.html
- ↑ http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2013/07/08/former-producer-rips-msnbc-as-obamas-official-network
- ↑ http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2010/06/21/mika-admits-im-working-white-house-oil-spill-talking-points#ixzz2PpmYB7O3
- ↑ Media Matters Propaganda Watch: The Tax-Exempt Research Department of MSNBC, Martin Bashir Edition
- ↑ Search and analysis on MSNBC's primetime transcripts via Nexis.com


text:
Good government in Florida has become prisoner to several self-inflicted electoral wounds. The cumulative effect is a less representative democracy with too many elected officials holding narrow views and the belief that to compromise is to surrender core values. Think of the debacle of the federal government's sequester.
One self-inflicted wound, which passed with inadequate attention, is the elimination of the second primary in the selection of party candidates. From 1899 to 2001, if no party primary candidate received a majority in the first election, there was a second primary between the two top vote-getters. In 2001 and 2003, the second primary was suspended for the following year's primary elections and permanently repealed in 2005. Cancelling the second primary has resulted in candidates with high name recognition or a strong appeal to a narrow constituency becoming a party nominee with a small fraction of the first and now only primary voters.
Florida's second primary system produced some of our state's most notable and respected public servants. If not for the second primary, LeRoy Collins and Reubin Askew may never have been governor, Lawton Chiles a U.S. senator, or Bob Butterworth an attorney general. They were all the runners up in the first primary but prevailed in the second. Indeed, Florida's 1978 gubernatorial race was won by a co-author of this article, who placed second in the first primary.
This is the way representative democracy should work. People choose from a field of many in an elimination round. Then, the top two vote-getters face off in the nominating round where a majority vote is required for the best candidate to move on to the final November contest. Think of it as the playoffs. In college basketball there's a season to determine the top-tier teams, then elimination rounds culminating with a final contest, the championship. But the way Florida's elections are currently constructed, there's a season and a championship but no playoffs, and zero guarantee the two contestants facing off in November represent the broadest consensus of approval within their own party.
Reinstating Florida's second primary is not difficult, and by using existing technology neither cost nor burden should become an eliminating factor. To ensure our elected leaders actually reflect our values, we simply must follow an extended timeline for holding elections, just like Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and a number of other states. The Legislature could easily set the first primary, for example, in early June and the second for early September. This schedule would provide more than ample time for the electorate to process their choices.
Our view is the second primary process engages more of the electorate, makes our political parties more relevant, promotes more representative candidates, and honors majority rule, a core principle of representative democracy. It achieves these qualities by giving people more opportunity to review and evaluate candidates, and choose among those who they think will best reflect their sentiments in local government, Tallahassee or Washington.
It is no secret lawmakers from both parties have hobbled the federal government with entrenched and extreme views. Instead of leading the world as its superpower, we limp from crisis to crisis, pushing off permanent solutions in favor of temporary fixes in part because the single primary process has produced elected representatives to whom the words tolerance or reasoned compromise are an anathema.
Making candidates win a true majority will help solve this problem. It dramatically reduces the chances of fringe, unvetted and unqualified candidates sneaking by their party's electorate. Most important, it produces policymakers with views that more accurately represent the majority of people who propel them to victory. A broken election system contributes to a broken government. It's time to begin fixing things. A return of the second primary would be a good place to start.
Bob Graham, a Democrat, above left, is a former Florida state legislator, governor and U.S. senator. George LeMieux, a Republican, was chief of staff to former Gov. Charlie Crist and is a former U.S. senator. They wrote this exclusively for the Tampa Bay Times.


text:
- Maintenance Agreements
- Top-quality Services
- Most Reputable Company
- Professionally Trained Team
If you are looking for unique Prehung Doors, call Prehung Door Guys and we will help you get a unique, quality and beautiful Prehung Doors. You will always get a second look from neighbors and passersby. Whether you want wood grain Prehung Doors or Prehung Doors in any other color; we can offer you Prehung Doors that will blend in with any environment. Unlike some prehung door manufacturers that do not give you an option of adding your personality to the Prehung Doors, Prehung Door Guys Prehung Doors are known for their quality and overall ability to maintain their sheen for a very long time.
Contact us
If you are interested in trying out our Prehung Doors and installation service, call us on 800-359-7760 and place an order of the Prehung Doors that you need from us or you can enquire about our services. You can also contact us through our contact page by filling in the form with your email and the question or concern that you would like us to address. Alternatively, you can visit our main office in Selah, WA and you will talk directly to our Prehung Doors experts who will listen to you and offer you the most viable solution for your needs.