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Church calendar: Events Aug. 24-Sept. 21
What: The Inspiration Choir 11th anniversary
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: New Start Fellowship Church, N.C. 18 South, Shelby
Information: Pastor Evelyn Crosby, 704-482-6851
What: Youngs Grove Baptist 127th anniversary
When: 3 p.m. Sept. 1
Where: 222 Youngs Grove Road, Blacksburg, S.C.
Speaker: The Rev. Randy Thurman, First Baptist, Earl
Information: 864-839-2668
( with photo of the Colemans )
What: Second pastoral anniversary
When: 10:45 a.m. Sept. 8
Where: Good Samaritan Fellowship Baptist, 305 Crawford St., Shelby
Speaker: The Rev. John Sibley of Faith Memorial Baptist, Charlotte
Details: Recognizing Pastor James E. Coleman and Pamela Coleman on their second anniversary; music by Brother Earl Watkins and the combined choir of the church
Information: 704-482-1240, or 704-482-9173
What: Tuesday morning bible classes
When: 10:30 to noon Tuesdays through Sept. 3
Where: Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association office, 1175 Wyke Road, Shelby
Details: Bring Bible and notebook
What: Community Bible study
When: 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays (beginning Sept. 3)
Where: Elizabeth Baptist, 301 N. Post Road, Shelby
Details: Studying Romans; cost, $25 for adults, $10 for children; classes available for men, women and children (infants to 18); please register by July 1
Information: Millie Kittrell, 704-300-8675
What: Mustard Seed Gatherings
When: Choice of two meetings: 9:30 to noon on Saturdays, Sept. 7-Oct. 26; or 6-8:30 p.m. on Mondays, Sept. 9-Oct. 28
Where: Camp Loy White, Casar
Details: A Bible study and accountability group that will meet for eight sessions; each session starts with a gathering, check-in and community building and includes guided spiritual study to read, ask questions and discuss the scripture; also includes small groups for listening, accountability and prayer.
Information and registration: Register by email at firstname.lastname@example.com; leave name, address, phone number and email address. A one-time registration fee of $20 is due at the first meeting.
What: Kay Arthur's Precept Bible Study Class, Genesis Parts 1 & 2
When: 9-11 a.m. Tuesdays twice a month, Sept. 17–Feb. 4
Where: Casar area at the home of the instructor, Kasie Hope
Details: Covers Genesis chapters 1-11; cost is $25 for workbook; deadline to sign up is Sept. 3
Information: Kasie Hope, 704-538-8125
What: Prayer Walk at Cleveland County Schools
When: 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: The school of your choice
Details: Plan to go to a school near you; a prayer leader will be at each school to begin the prayer walk with prayer requests
What: Upward Soccer evaluation/registration
When: 5-7 p.m. Friday; 9-11 a.m. Saturday
Where: New Hope Baptist, 2611 Blacksburg Road, Earl
Details: Practices begin Sept. 2; games begin Sept. 14; awards celebration Nov. 2
Information: Jason Chandler, 704-299-0446; Sherri Jackson, 704-477-2419
What: Family fun day
When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Royster Avenue Church of God, 504 Royster Ave., Shelby
Details: Food, water games, inflatables, cornhole
Information: 704-487-5987
What: Youth health fair
When: 2-4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Shelby City Park
Details: Local organizations providing free information; motivational speaker and music
Information: Voice of Hope Seventh Day Adventist Church, 704-473-7288
What: Back to school celebration
When: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Holly Oak Park
Speakers: Donnie Thurman Jr., Palmer's Grove Baptist and Mashonda Surratt, Hopper's Chapel Baptist
Also: Hopper's Chapel praise dancers and choir; Macedonia Baptist Church praise dancers
Information: Charlotte Byers, 704-974-3536, or Reggie Osborne, 704-284-4283
What: Free haircuts
When: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday
Where: Maple Springs Baptist, 1231 Maple Springs Church Road, Shelby
Details: Keith Rhodes will be giving free haircuts to any student enrolled in school for the upcoming year
What: Teen Summit 2013 "Unmasking Your Fears" with special guest Tyler Perry
When: 3-6 p.m. Oct. 19 (movie premier Oct. 18)
Where: Don Gibson Theatre, 318 S. Washington St., Shelby
Tickets: Tickets for the summit are $35; tickets for the movie premier are $8. For more information, call Celebrity Consignment in uptown Shelby, 704-482-8223.
What: Poor man's supper
When: 4-7 p.m. Saturday
Where: New Bethel Baptist, 112 New Bethel Church Road, Lawndale
Details: Money will go to mission activities/to help build wells in Nicaragua. Cost is by donation.
What: Hot dog sale
When: 11 a.m.-until, Saturday
Where: Westover Baptist Fellowship Hall, 114 Westover Drive, Kings Mountain
Details: Plates consist of two hot dogs (your way), chips and dessert; eat-in includes drink
What: Chicken pie supper, bake sale and silent auction
When: 6-8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Lafayette Street United Methodist, Shelby
Details: $8 adults, $5 children younger than 12; take-out available; Grateful and Friends performing
What: Yard sale, hamburger, hot dog sale, & benefit concert
When: Sept. 7; yard sale, 10:30 a.m.; hamburger, hot dog and bake sale, 11 a.m.; gospel singing, 6 p.m.
Where: Crossroads Baptist, Fallston, across from BB&T
Details: Proceeds will benefit Brenda Hudson, who is recovering from cancer surgery and undergoing treatments
Information: 704-538-9309, or 828-358-6274
What: Food and fellowship
When: 4-6:30 p.m. Sept. 21
Where: Lawndale Baptist, 407 W. Main St., Lawndale
Details: Barbecue, sauce, slaw, buns, potato salad or chips, baked beans, desserts, drinks; eat-in or take out; adults $9, children $5; all proceeds go to the building fund
Information: Joyce Peeler, 704-538-0157
What: Third annual purse extravaganza
When: 8-11 a.m. Sept. 21
Where: Elizabeth Baptist, Christian Life Center
Admission: One gently used clothing item, which will go into the clothing closet of Elizabeth Baptist
Details: Bags will be $5 to $10 and accessories for $3; proceeds support local missions
What: Camp Loy White barbecue chicken benefit
When: 3-7 p.m. Oct. 11
Where: Central United Methodist, Shelby (enter from the parking lot beside the playground)
Details: Tickets are $10; pick up or dine-in; chicken cooked by Doug Fortenberry; proceeds to Camp Loy White in Casar, a ministry affiliated with the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church
Information: email@example.com
What: Tent revival for Jesus
When: 7:30 nightly Friday-Thursday
Where: 215 King St., Kings Mountain
Details: Evangelist Scott Callahan of Fort Mill, S.C.; live gospel music, singing, preaching, prayer for the sick; all are welcome
What: Homecoming/revival
When: 3:30 p.m. Sunday, homecoming; and 7 nightly Monday-Thursday, revival
Where: Waddell Chapel AME Zion Church
Speakers: Homecoming, the Rev. William Puryear, Torrence Grove AME Zion, Charlotte, accompanied by his choir and members; Monday, the Rev. Luke Curry Sr., Bynum Chapel AME Zion, Kings Mountain; Tuesday, the Rev. Billy Houze, Lawndale First Baptist, Lawndale; Wednesday, the Rev. Reginald Keitt, Mount Pleasant AME Zion, Statesville; Thursday, the Rev. Robert Coleman, Hopper's Chapel Baptist, Shelby.
What: 107th homecoming celebration and annual fall revival
When: 3 p.m. Sunday, homecoming; and 7 nightly Monday-Wednesday, revival
Where: Macedonia Baptist, 235 A.W. Black St., Waco
Speakers: Homecoming, Pastor Billy D. Houze, First Baptist, Lawndale; revival, Dr. Benjamin Hinton, Tabernacle Baptist
Information Center: 704-435-8842
What: New Bethel Church of Shelby's 91st homecoming
When: 10 a.m. Sept. 15
Where: New Bethel Church of Shelby, 706 Hamrick St.
Details: Lunch will follow; The Carolina Quartet with the Rev. Scott Whitener will provide music. Bring a friend and your favorite covered dish
What: Free food pantry and clothes closet
When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesdays
Where: Life of Worship Ministries, 405 Cherokee St., Kings Mountain
Information: 704-884-6703
What: Prayer and Bible study
When: 5 p.m. prayer, 6 p.m. Bible study, Wednesdays
Where: Brooks Chapel United Methodist, Polkville
Information: 704-538-3616
What: Sunday worship services and Bible explosion
When: Sundays and Wednesdays
Where: New Jerusalem Rebirth and Restoration Ministries, 322 E. Ross Grove Road, Shelby
Details: 11:30 a.m. Sunday, enrichment hour; noon Sunday, spirit flows worship celebration; 7 p.m. Wednesday, Bible explosion
What: Monthly fellowship meal
When: First Sunday of each month following the worship service, beginning Sept. 1
Where: Bethea United Methodist, 605 E. Maryland Ave., Bessemer City
What: Wednesday family night
When: 5:50-6:45 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. service, Wednesdays beginning Sept. 4
Where: Bethea United Methodist, 605 E. Maryland Ave., Bessemer City
Details: Each family will bring a meal, followed by worship service
What: Healing classes
When: 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays
Where: Christ Temple, 341 Hudson St., Shelby
Details: Bishop Louis McDowell will discuss scriptures and healing
Information: 828-205-6174
What: Men's day celebration
When: 3:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Canaan Baptist, 300 E. Ross Grove Road, Shelby
Speaker: The Rev. Larry Roseboro of New Hope Baptist Church, Vale
What: Family and friends day
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Faith Missionary Baptist, 822 Churchill Drive, Shelby
Speaker: The Rev. J. Boyd, Light Oak Baptist, Shelby
Information: 704-600-6068
What: Celebrate Sunday school
When: 9:30-9:45 a.m. Sept. 1, followed by Sunday school classes from 9:45-10:30 a.m.
Where: Bethea United Methodist, 605 E. Maryland St., Bessemer City
Details: Everyone assembling in kitchen for coffee, donuts, juice, milk and fellowship
What: Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association Sunday School Leadership Training Event
When: 6:30-8 p.m. Sept. 9
Where: Elizabeth Baptist, Shelby
Details: "Making the Bible Come Alive"
What: Calling all crafters and artists for Christmas festival
When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 9
Where: John Knox Presbyterian, 610 Charles Road, Shelby
Details: Looking for exhibitors; all arts and crafts must be handmade; booths available first-come, first-serve; reasonable booth fee; food will be available
Information: Contact Debbie Lesenger for entry form and details email@example.com, or 704-487-7953
What: Evangelist Linda Hardin and the Joy Gospel Singers
When: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Peak Resources, 1101 N. Morgan St., Shelby
What: JC & Company praise and worship concert
When: 10 a.m. Saturday
Where: Spring Water Festival, Williamston, S.C.
Information: Catlin Tierce, 864-608-0257
What: The Anchormen Quartet in concert
When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Sandy Run Baptist, 210 E. Church St., Mooresboro
Details: Free; a love offering will be received; light refreshments served
Information: www.sandyrunbaptist.org; 704-434-6771
What: JC & Company praise and worship concert
When: 11 a.m. Sept. 1
Where: First Baptist, 2736 Harris Henrietta Road, Henrietta
Information: 828-657-5991, or 828-305-4884
What: Lee Young, formerly of the Gaither Vocal Band, in concert
When: 10:45 a.m. Sept. 22
Where: First Wesleyan, Cherryville
Information: Contact the church at 704-435-6069, or email@example.com.
What: Fifth Annual HymnFest, co-sponsored by The Foothills Dulcimer Club of Shelby and Elizabeth Baptist
When: Sept. 28
Where: Elizabeth Baptist, Christian Life Center
Details: Dulcimer workshops begin at 1 p.m.; dulcimers available for those needing one; choral clinic, 3 p.m.; Jamboree, 4:30-6 p.m. Bring an acoustic instrument to join the jamboree.
What: Woman's day service
When: 11 a.m. Sunday
Where: Shiloh Baptist, 914 Frederick St., Shelby,
Speaker: Dr. Toni Woods, Great Hope Baptist, Conover
What: The Women's Pastors' Alliance of Cleveland County first fellowship service
When: 6 p.m. Aug. 31
Where: New Start Fellowship Church, 2513 S. Lafayette St., Shelby
Guest Speaker: Bishop Sharon Martin, Greater Deliverance Church, Charlotte
What: Women's Ministry of Light Oak Baptist Church prayer breakfast
When: 8 a.m. Aug. 31
Where: Light Oak Missionary Baptist, 2311 Oak Grove Road, Shelby
Details: Theme is "change your attitude, change your life"
Speaker: Pastor Pamela T. Wofford of Spartanburg, S.C.
Information: Minister Olivia G. Logan, 704-487-4652 or 704-484-2644
What: "Beautiful Feet" women's retreat
When: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Sept. 13 and 8-4 p.m. Sept. 14
Where: Christian Life Center of Elizabeth Baptist Church, 301 N. Post Road, Shelby
Details: Cost: $15, includes Friday dessert and Saturday breakfast and lunch
Register: Through Sunday in the church office
Contact: Church office, 704-482-6339, or Millie Kittrell, 704-300-8675
What: Beth Moore Simulcast
When: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sept. 14
Where: Grassy Pond Baptist Church, Gaffney
Tickets: $25 per person, includes lunch; tickets will be sold until Aug. 31 (no child care provided)
Information: 864-489-8275, Monday-Friday, 1-4 p.m.


text:
Online Account Opening: Switching to a Smooth Road
Financial Services (FS) organizations today are grappling with umpteen challenges to reduce their operational costs and improve their revenue base. With shrinking margins amidst growing competition and an increased regulatory environment, customer retention is a major area of concern for most banks. This has spurred banks to identify innovative ways of attracting and retaining customers. With newer transacting channels witnessing rapid adoption by the users, banks are devising ways to embrace disruptive technologies like mobility, big data and cloud. However, some of the products and services like online account opening are either altogether missing in their portfolio, or are ill-equipped to handle customer needs on an online platform. Hence, most of the major banking organizations are focusing on a robust web channel augmented by newer modes of banking – like mobile banking for instance. Further, web strategy is becoming a core component in the overall sales strategy with banks trying to leverage the online medium as an effective sales channel.
Online Account Opening Process
A vast majority of banks are in some stage of scaling up their online presence by bringing in newer products into their online fold. This is fueled by the fact that more and more people – especially the Gen-Y'ers – are now using the web to research a financial product. Additionally, most of these researchers have a conversion ratio of more than 50% for some product suites. It is no wonder, then, that one area has managed to draw a lot of focus and attention from the banks – the online account opening (OAO) process. However, it requires a lot of due diligence to design an optimal OAO solution that's within the ambit of regulatory and compliance guidelines.
Best Practices
Based on extensive research and experience in the Financial Services and Digital Commerce domains, outlined below is a set of best practices to make the online account opening process simple, yet effective and comprehensive.
• Keep the process short and simple. An online account opening application should be concise, pose the most basic set of questions (within the compliance and regulation guidelines) and open the account in real time (with speedy, but a thorough credit check and regulatory approval).
• Educate the customer beforehand about the application process, along with the estimated time for completing the application. This can help the customer to be much better prepared, organized and keep the information (required to fill during the application process) handy.
• Design a technically robust application, free of technical glitches and ensure better response times. Expedite the application process for existing customers by making use of their current profiles.
• Assist the customer throughout the application process, by means of customer assistance in the form of text chats, FAQ guides, voice support etc.
• Take care of non-tech savvy customers. A few customers might not be technologically savvy or may find the whole online process confusing and cumbersome. For such customers, there should be a mechanism that redirects them to alternate channels like branch banking, phone banking. An OAO solution should be able to capture and appropriately flag data pertaining to customers who abandon the OAO process mid-way. It pays to follow-up with such customers and possibly redirect them to the nearest branch or to the call center for easy account opening.
• Reward the customer for choosing the online channel for account opening. These rewards could be in the form of fee waivers, gift certificates etc. and are bound to act as a booster to popularize OAO.
• Leverage the power of social media to create marketing campaigns spreading awareness about the product suites, ongoing offers and soliciting feedback on existing services. This will not only establish the bank as a new age, tech savvy one; it will also help the bank in attracting new customers to its website.
• Integrate your account opening solution with web analytics and search engine optimization (SEO) to gain insights into customer demographics and online behavior patterns. Banks can use this data to frequently come up with new product features and launch targeted marketing campaigns for customers.
A simplified online account opening (OAO) process is a stepping stone towards a streamlined client on-boarding experience. It is imperative for banks to provide both their existing and new customers a mature OAO solution, incorporating major financial products cutting across services lines. In this regard, most of the tier 1 and tier 2 banks are either revamping their existing OAO process or altogether building alternate solutions. However, most of these banks are faced with similar challenges while (re)designing their OAO solutions. Banks desirous of achieving substantial wins in OAO should focus on smarter web strategies that seamlessly offer a potent mix of innovative products, intelligent cross selling tactics etc with an unwavering focus on understanding the customer needs. With customer stickiness a major concern for all banks, solutions like OAO when implemented effectively will not only help banks retain existing customers, but attract new customers as well.
Sandip Sinha is the associate vice president of Collabera's Financial Services Practice, and Muhammad Faaiz Tameem is a senior consultant at the practice.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A subdued U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops acknowledged Monday that voters rejected the stands they took against gay marriage and birth control, but gave no sign they would change their strategy ahead.
Same-sex marriage supporters made a four-state sweep of ballot measures last week, despite intensive advocacy by Roman Catholic bishops in favor of traditional marriage. Bishops also spoke out sharply against President Barack Obama's mandate that most employers provide health insurance that covers artificial contraception. Critics accused the bishops of going so far that they appeared to be backing Republican Mitt Romney.
The bishops insist their complaints were not partisan. Still, they now must face four more years with an administration many bishops characterized as a threat to the church.
"We've always maintained our openness to dialogue, and that will continue," said Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, who leads the bishops' committee on religious liberty. "As this evolves, as rule-making gets a little more clear, then our range of options will be clearer."
None of the bishops who spoke Monday directly mentioned Obama. Lori only noted that "the political landscape is the same." The bishops instead reviewed plans they developed well before Election Day to expand outreach to Latino Catholics on traditional marriage and organize events on the importance of religious freedom.
Obama won the overall Catholic vote, 50 percent to 48 percent, but Catholics split on ethnic lines. White Catholics supported Romney, 59 percent to 40 percent. However, Latino Catholics went for Obama, 75 percent to 21 percent.
Last week, Maine, Maryland and Washington became the first states ever to approve same-sex marriage by popular vote. In Minnesota, voters rejected a proposal to place a ban on gay-marriage in the state constitution, a step taken in past elections in 30 other states.
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, the newly installed leader of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, said gay marriage opponents were outspent by gay rights groups, and bishops are grappling with how they can be more persuasive. Surveys by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life have found that the number of Americans who say they have no religion is at a high of 20 percent, while the number of former Catholics is so large that ex-Catholics collectively include more people than many denominations.
"The election is a symptom of a much larger problem," Cordileone said. "Most people don't understand what marriage is."
On health care, the Obama administration's birth control requirement exempts houses of worship, but does not exclude religiously affiliated hospitals and nonprofits. Obama promised to change the requirement so that insurance companies and not faith-affiliated employers would pay for the coverage. But details have not been worked out. And not only the bishops, but Catholic hospitals and some other religious leaders generally supportive of Obama's policies are saying the compromise appears to be unworkable.
Dozens of dioceses and Catholic nonprofits are suing the Obama administration over the mandate, arguing the requirement violates religious freedom.
Steve Schneck, a political scientist at the Catholic University of America who campaigned for Obama, said the bishops need to quickly reach out to the administration because the opportunity to strike a compromise will be limited once the court cases move forward.
"It's something that I think the bishops should be working for if they're serious about trying to win exemptions for hospitals and charities and similar nonprofit institutions," Schneck said. "It's in the interest of the administration to resolve this thing ahead of the lawsuits."


text:
In-State Tuition For Immigrants Gaining Ground Across The U.S.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Giancarlo Tello paid $14,000 more than other New Jersey high school graduates to attend Rutgers University, the state's flagship public college.
Why the difference?
Tello spent much of his childhood in the U.S. without legal permission after his parents moved from Peru when he was 6.
That changes if he re-enrolls this fall, as he plans, thanks to a law recently signed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie that provides in-state tuition to immigrants like him.
Supporters of immigrants' rights are energized because after years of contentious fights, New Jersey and three other states passed statutes last year that will allow such students who came to the U.S. when they were minors to pay in-state tuition.
Fifteen states now have such a statute, said Ann Morse of the National Conference of State Legislatures. In addition, university boards in Hawaii, Michigan and Rhode Island have granted these students in-state tuition. To qualify, high school graduates typically must meet requirements such as living in a state for a set number of years.
Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Virginia have bills under consideration that would extend the in-state benefit, said Tanya Broder, a senior attorney with the National Immigration Law Center.
Supporters next plan to step up lobbying on a related issue: making these students eligible for state financial aid, including scholarships or grants. Already, California, New Mexico and Texas have laws spelling out this right, and it is under consideration in states such as Washington.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., filed a bill in Congress that would provide money to states that offer in-state tuition or financial aid to these students.
"It's an economic issue, and it's an issue of fairness," Murray said.
In this time of financial austerity, the bill faces a difficult road.
The students are known as "Dreamers" — from the shorthand for legislation stymied in Congress that provides a way for them to permanently remain in the U.S. The measure's full title is the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act).
Lacking legal immigration status, the students typically aren't eligible for federal financial aid and many other aid programs.
But in many cases they are able to remain in the United States under President Barack Obama's 2012 "deferred action" program. That allows immigrants brought into the United States without legal permission as children by their parents to obtain temporary resident status for two years. The status is renewable.
Tello and Yves Gomes, 21, who was brought to the U.S. from India as a toddler, signed up.
Gomes attends the University of Maryland and pays in-state tuition, which he had lobbied for. But he says in some cases that isn't enough. He called for state and other financial aid, especially for those who don't qualify for Maryland's in-state tuition benefit.
Tuition and fees for Maryland residents come to about $9,000 this academic year, compared with more than $28,000 for those from other states. That doesn't include thousands more in room and board.
"I met so many friends who are off and on in school just because they have to take time off to help their families put food on the table. You have to survive," Gomes said.
The issue of what educational benefits should be available to immigrants living illegally in the country has been contentious. Critics say helping the students encourages unlawful behavior and means they potentially take someone else's seat at taxpayers' expense.
"I don't understand why they would take taxpayer dollars that could be going to U.S. citizens and instead subsidizing the education of noncitizens who could also be deported," said Kris Kobach, the Republican secretary of state in Kansas who has litigated immigration-related cases. "Why would you subsidize a workforce that may not be there tomorrow?"
Kansas passed a law in 2004 that granted the in-state tuition benefit to students living in the country illegally.
Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, South Carolina and Indiana bar the in-state benefit altogether, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. In Wisconsin, in-state tuition was authorized in 2009, but later repealed.
Politicians have taken heat on both sides.
In the 2012 Republican presidential primary, Texas Gov. Rick Perry ended up apologizing after saying critics of in-state tuition for students in the country illegally "did not have a heart." In last year's gubernatorial race in Virginia, GOP Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli was dogged during his unsuccessful campaign by a vote opposing the in-state tuition benefit earlier in his career.
Christie agreed to sign the New Jersey bill only after issuing a conditional veto that took out the financial aid component.
"It definitely felt great that now a lot of 'dreamers' in New Jersey, including myself, will be able to return to school, but at the same time it feels like we were lied to by Gov. Christie, who when he was campaigning, said he was going to give full equality to the Latino community," Tello said.
He was campaign manager for the New Jersey Tuition Equity for Dreamers, and said he dropped out of college after attending part-time for three semesters because of the cost. Out-of-state tuition at Rutgers is about $24,700 compared with about $10,700 for an in-state student. Full-time students also pay nearly $3,000 in fees, in addition to room and board.
On the day he signed the bill, Christie explained his decision this way: "This is what compromise looks like." Christie said the important thing is that these students will now have an "affordable" way to continue their education.
About 65,000 students living illegally in the country graduate annually from high school and about 5 percent to 10 percent of them go to college, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities has estimated.
Daniel Hurley, an official with the association, said even when these students are able to get a college degree, their future work prospects are limited.
"They are caught in the limbo," Hurley said. "It's certainly frustrating to see."
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text: ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) – Algerian helicopters and special forces stormed a gas plant in the stony plains of the Sahara on Thursday to wipe out Islamist militants and free hostages from at least 10 countries being held inside. Bloody chaos ensued, leaving the fate of the fighters and many of the captives uncertain. Dueling claims from the military and the militants muddied the world's understanding of an event that angered Western leaders, raised world oil prices and complicated the international military operation in neighboring Mali. At least six people, and perhaps many more, were killed – Britons, Filipinos and Algerians. Terrorized hostages from Ireland and Norway trickled out of the Ain Amenas plant, families urging them never to return. Dozens more remained unaccounted for: Americans, Britons, French, Norwegians, Romanians, Malaysians, Japanese, Algerians and the fighters themselves. The U.S. government sent an unmanned surveillance drone to the BP-operated site, near the border with Libya and 800 miles (1,290 kilometers) from the Algerian capital, but it could do little more than watch Thursday's intervention. Algeria's army-dominated government, hardened by decades of fighting Islamist militants, shrugged aside foreign offers of help and drove ahead alone. With the hostage drama entering its second day Thursday, Algerian security forces moved in, first with helicopter fire and then special forces, according to diplomats, a website close to the militants, and an Algerian security official. The government said it was forced to intervene because the militants were being stubborn and wanted to flee with the hostages. The militants – led by a Mali-based al-Qaida offshoot known as the Masked Brigade – suffered losses in Thursday's military assault, but succeeded in garnering a global audience. Even violence-scarred Algerians were stunned by the brazen hostage-taking Wednesday, the biggest in northern Africa in years and the first to include Americans as targets. Mass fighting in the 1990s had largely spared the lucrative oil and gas industry that gives Algeria its economic independence and regional weight. The hostage-taking raised questions about security for sites run by multinationals that are dotted across Africa's largest country. It also raised the prospect of similar attacks on other countries allied against the extremist warlords and drug traffickers who rule a vast patch of desert across several countries in northwest Africa. Even the heavy-handed Algerian response may not deter groups looking for martyrdom and attention. Casualty figures in the Algerian standoff varied widely. The remote location is extremely hard to reach and was surrounded by Algerian security forces – who, like the militants, are inclined to advertise their successes and minimize their failures. 'An important number of hostages were freed and an important number of terrorists were eliminated, and we regret the few dead and wounded,' Algeria's communications minister, Mohand Said Oubelaid, told national media, adding that the 'terrorists are multinational,' coming from several different countries with the goal of 'destabilizing Algeria, embroiling it in the Mali conflict and damaging its natural gas infrastructure.' The official news agency said four hostages were killed in Thursday's operation, two Britons and two Filipinos. Two others, a Briton and an Algerian, died Wednesday in an ambush on a bus ferrying foreign workers to an airport. Citing hospital officials, the APS news agency said six Algerians and seven foreigners were injured. APS said some 600 local workers were safely freed in the raid – but many of those were reportedly released the day before by the militants themselves. The militants, via a Mauritanian news website, claimed that 35 hostages and 15 militants died in the helicopter strafing. A spokesman for the Masked Brigade told the Nouakchott Information Agency in Mauritania that only seven hostages survived. By nightfall, Algeria's government said the raid was over. But the whereabouts of the rest of the plant workers was unclear. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke on the phone to share their confusion. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said the Obama administration was 'seeking clarity from the government of Algeria.' An unarmed American surveillance drone soared overhead as the Algerian forces closed in, U.S. officials said. The U.S. offered military assistance Wednesday to help rescue the hostages but the Algerian government refused, a U.S. official said in Washington. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the offer. Militants earlier said they were holding seven Americans, but the administration confirmed only that Americans were among those taken. The U.S. government was in contact with American businesses across North Africa and the Middle East to help them guard against the possibility of copycat attacks. BP, the Norwegian company Statoil and the Algerian state oil company Sonatrach, operate the gas field and a Japanese company, JGC Corp, provides services for the facility. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe protested the military raid as an act that 'threatened the lives of the hostages,' according to a spokesman. Jean-Christophe Gray, a spokesman for Cameron, said Britain was not informed in advance of the raid. One Irish hostage managed to escape: electrician Stephen McFaul, who'd worked in North Africa's oil and natural gas fields off and on for 15 years. His family said the militants let hostages call their families to press the kidnappers' demands. 'He phoned me at 9 o'clock to say al-Qaida were holding him, kidnapped, and to contact the Irish government, for they wanted publicity. Nightmare, so it was. Never want to do it again. He'll not be back! He'll take a job here in Belfast like the rest of us,' said his mother, Marie. Dylan, McFaul's 13-year-old son, started crying as he talked to Ulster Television. 'I feel over the moon, just really excited. I just can't wait for him to get home,' he said. Algerian forces who had ringed the Ain Amenas complex had vowed not to negotiate with the militants, who reportedly were seeking safe passage. Security experts said the end of the two-day standoff was in keeping with the North African country's tough approach to terrorism. 'Algerians clearly were not willing to compromise with the terrorists and not willing to accept the idea of coping with the situation for days and days,' said Riccardo Fabiani of Eurasia Group. 'Algerians never had problems causing a blood bath to respond to terrorist attacks.' Phone contacts with the militants were severed as government forces closed in, according to the Mauritanian agency, which often carries reports from al-Qaida-linked extremist groups in North Africa. A 58-year-old Norwegian engineer who made it to the safety of a nearby Algerian military camp told his wife how militants attacked a bus Wednesday before being fended off by a military escort. 'Bullets were flying over their heads as they hid on the floor of the bus,' Vigdis Sletten told The Associated Press in a phone interview from her home in Bokn, on Norway's west coast. Her husband and the other bus passengers climbed out of a window and were transported to a nearby military camp, she said, declining to give his name for security reasons. News of the bloody Algerian operation caused oil prices to rise $1.25 to close at $95.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, and prompted energy companies like BP PLC and Spain's Compania Espanola de Petroleos SA to try to relocate energy workers at other Algerian plants. Algerian Interior Minister Daho Ould Kabila said the 20-odd militants entered the country from nearby Libya in three vehicles, in an operation commanded by extremist mastermind Moktar Belmoktar, who is normally based in Mali. 'The Algerian authorities have expressed, many times, to the Libyan authorities, its fears and asked it a dozen times to be careful and secure borders with Algeria,' Kabila was quoted as saying on the website of the newspaper Echourouk. The militants made it clear that their attack was fallout from the intervention in Mali. One commander, Oumar Ould Hamaha, said they were now 'globalizing the conflict' in revenge for the military assault on Malian soil. France has encountered fierce resistance from the extremist groups in Mali and failed to persuade many allies to join in the actual combat. The Algeria raid could push other partners to act more decisively in Mali – but could also scare away those who are wary of inviting terrorist attacks back home. — Associated Press writers Karim Kabir in Algiers, Kimberly Dozier and Robert Burns in Washington, Lori Hinnant and Elaine Ganley in Paris, Shawn Pogatchnik in Dublin, Bjoern H. Amland in Oslo, Norway, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Cassie Vinograd and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.


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Gloria Steinem
Life Path Number 9
" Most women are one man away from welfare."
Gloria Steinem is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who writes for the New York magazine, is the founder of Ms. magazine, and is best known as a leader and spokeswoman for the feminist movement in the late 1960s and early 70s.
She was born on Sunday March 25th 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, United States.
Gloria Steinem is the philanthropist, humanitarian, socially conscious, and is deeply concerned about the state of the world, for which she has great compassion and idealism. Gloria is a utopian, and will spend her life trying to realize some aspect of her utopian dream, sacrificing money, time, and energy for a better world. It is in giving that Steinem finds much satisfaction.
Gloria Steinem has a broad outlook on life. She tends to see the big picture, rather than the minute details. Gloria naturally attracts people from all walks of life who can fit into her larger plans and take over the areas she finds uninteresting. The person with a 9 Life Path is rarely prejudiced or accepts social biases of people. Instead, they evaluate people on the basis of what they can do for the larger cause. They are the true egalitarian.
Gloria is imaginative and creative, especially at harmoniously arranging the beauty already potential in the environment. These abilities can lead Steinem into such fields as interior decorating, landscape art, and photography. But because of her strong social consciousness, Gloria Steinem can be an effective politician, lawyer, judge, minister, teacher, healer, and environmentalist. Vocations that require self-sacrifice and have a clear social impact are common among 9s.
She is often disappointed by the realities of life: the shortcomings of others, or of her own self's. Somehow, Gloria Steinem does not want to accept the imperfections of the world, a feeling that drives her constantly to try to improve upon it. But rather than be satisfied with her efforts, and those of others, Gloria relentlessly pushes on, striving for greater accomplishments. She is often unsatisfied with the results. In short, Steinem lacks the perspective that would otherwise make it possible for her to enjoy life more fully, and accept its natural limitations.
Gloria Steinem has a controlled enthusiasm and the ability to finish what she starts.
A key to Gloria's personality is the necessity of sacrifice. Gloria has to learn to let go of material possessions and relationships, the inherent lesson being that holding on too tightly to anything causes pain.
Money comes to Gloria Steinem through mysterious or unexpected ways: inheritance; the benevolence of someone who was inspired by Steinem's work; or a lucky investment. Conversely, if Gloria pursues money for its own sake, after giving up on her larger dreams, she is likely to find herself empty handed.
The most successful and satisfying road for a nine is giving; sharing and sacrificing for a larger goal, without expecting anything in return. Gloria's greatest chance at success is to tie her personal fortunes to an endeavor that makes the world a better place for others. Very often, this turns into a highly successful and lucrative enterprise, providing amply for Gloria Steinem and her family. Her life rests on the axiom that the more she gives, the bigger her reward.
Gloria Steinem is romantic, but her love is more impersonal. She tends to be focused on her dreams instead.
When Gloria is not in harmony with her true nature, she can fall to moodiness, or become aloof, and withdrawn. She can become timid, uncertain, and ungrateful, putting the blame for her troubles on others or the world. Steinem has a gift for examining her life objectively, and at some distance. She has to be honest with herself. By openly facing her shortcomings, as well as her strengths, she develops equilibrium. Gloria Steinem is thus able to love and better understand herself and all of life.
You and Gloria
About Gloria's Life Path number
If ever there was a single moment of total transformation, it was actually the moment of Gloria Steinem's birth. In that instant, Gloria stepped through a door in time into a new reality - the reality of human life. The most critical number in Steinem's numerology chart is based on the date of her birth - the moment when the curtain went up in Gloria Steinem's life.
Read more about our numerological interpretation of Gloria Steinem's


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Product Detail
University of Manitoba Map Print
Quick Overview
This is a map of the University of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus in Winnipeg Manitoba. All buildings are labelled.
These clean and colourful, frame-ready maps are digitally printed on bright, white paper. They are printed and cut to standard sizes, allowing framing and finishing to suit your décor.
All of our digital prints are produced in downtown Hamilton.
Copyright note: All of our maps and other images are our own work. They are available as prints only and may not be used otherwise without our express permission.


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Decorating with Extra Ornaments
Showcase in glasses
Pull glassware out of the cabinets and onto a mantel for an easy arrangement using ornaments and other holiday decor.Let curled ribbon drape out of a champagne flute. Place one ornament in a martini glass. Stack mini ornaments in a beer glass. Or create a "flower" in a clay pot with a wine glass and ornaments. Put a votive candle holder upside down inside the pot as a base for the glass. Secure the glass to the top of the holder with double-sided tape. Crumple tissue paper around the base of the glass, and fill with mini ornaments.
Hang from a ladder
Create an unusual holiday display with a vintage ladder. Wrap rungs with colorful ribbon, then hang ornaments.
Create a table setting
Add cheer to your holiday table setting by tying an ornament or two to napkins. Ornaments can also double as place cards (and be hostess gifts for guests!).
Make a festive frame
Make a white frame (or spreay-paint one) a pretty focal point by hanging an ornament from the hook in back.
Decorate a present
Use smaller ornaments as pretty add-ons for gift wrap. Evergreen sprays and faux berries are a special touch.
Serve up a centerpiece
To make a showy centerpiece, place solid-color ball ornaments inside a clear-glass vase and "serve" on a silver tray. Sprinkle faux snow over the display, and wrap it up with matching ribbon.
Decorate a wreath
Hand-painted red-and-white foam balls embellish this evergreen wreath. Get a similar look by using any of your favorite ornaments.
Cover with a cloche
A few Christmas elements add up to one dashing display! Place a large ball ornament, a single rose and a few evergreen sprigs on a dinner plate. Cover the arrangement with a cloche. To keep the rose fresh, put the stem in a florist's water tube. Or for a super-easy display, just use smaller or contrasting ornaments instead of the flower.
Make outside decorations
Do you have a potted evergreen outside? Decorate the plant or the pot with inexpensive ornaments.
Coordinate colors
Put coordinating colors of surplus ornaments in urns, vases, goblets and bowls of different sizes. Finish with bright green pine branches for a woodsy touch.
Put on candlesticks
Top clear or silver candlesticks with vintage ornaments for a simple Christmas centerpiece, mantel arrangement or side table display.
Photo vases
Create a personalized holiday display by filling glass cylinder vases with a photograph and ornaments. Click to the next slide to see how to make a mantel arrangement from this idea.
Mantel display
Photo vases (see previous slide) add a personal touch to this mantel. Finish the look with candles, flowers and candy canes in clear glass holders. For an easy garland, string ornaments along a ribbon.
Hang from a chandelier
Hang extra ornaments from a chandelier. Depending on the style of your fixture, use hooks or ribbon to hang the ornaments.
Make a "cupcake" display
Vintage or ceramic cupcake holders make a perfect (and portable) holder for ornaments.


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Six degrees of Brockley
Homer: Hello? Why am I Mr. Sparkle?
Worker: You like Mister Sparkle?
Homer: Well, I am Mr. Sparkle.
Worker: You have many question, Mr. Sparkle. I send you premium answer question, hundred percent!
Despite living in South East London for nearly thirty years, Brockley had barely registered on our consciousness before we stumbled upon it in an increasingly desperate house hunt, about three years ago.
But since moving here, we find ourselves barely able to move without bumping in to old schoolmates at church fetes, ex-girlfriends in health food shops and the person who beat us to the role of "seven year old child" in a Greenwich Theatre production, nosing around the Co-Op.
Not only is our former life catching up with us in SE4, but Brockley's tentacles are reaching further and further in to the wider world. This weekend, we took shelter from the wind and rain on Southwold Pier in a little Heath Robinson arcade. It was filled with eccentric, hand-built machines which did everything from predicting your future to washing your brain.
We opted for a go on the Mobility Masterclass - a machine which trains you for a future of arthritic frustration by forcing you to cross a motorway with a Zimmer frame. We successfully avoided death only to find that our reward was a party at the Rivoli Ballroom.
The artist who created the game explains:
"The ballroom was the greatest challenge (it had to be a ballroom as I wanted the Zimmer to start dancing as the payoff for a successful crossing). I had a vague memory of an ornate ballroom in Blackpool and assumed there must be others, but no one seemed to know of any. Eventually I rang a magazine called Dancing Times who rather doubtfully suggested The Rivoli Ballroom in South East London. Still not knowing what it looked like, I persuaded the reluctant manageress to let me visit and take some photos. It was fabulous and spookily, exactly what I'd had in my mind. Not only were the ballroom and foyer perfect, but so was the exterior, which was almost identical to the one I'd drawn. Billy, the owner, and Charles, his barman, were great characters and I stayed chatting for hours."
So there's your answer, Fish bulb! If you've discovered any curious Brockley connections, please post them here.


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Dancing's Drew Carey: "I Would Love to Do Another Switch-Up"
Many of the contestants on Dancing with the Stars were apprehensive about switching partners for last week's switch-up, but that wasn't the case for Drew Carey. In fact, the Price Is Right host says he'd like to swap again. (No disrespect to Carey's pro partner Cheryl Burke, of course.)
"It's nice being with Cheryl and having a working relationship like that, but I didn't mind it at all," Carey tells TVGuide.com about the switch. "One of the reasons I did this show was I thought it would be fun to learn dancing from a professional dancer from Dancing with the Stars.So now I got to learn from two. I thought it was exciting, honestly, and I would love to do another switch to see how somebody else teaches. I'm in it for the experience, so I would love to see what it's like to take a lesson one week from Peta [Murgatroyd] or somebody."
Dancing's Derek Hough talks Julianne's comments
With no ballroom dance experience under his belt, Carey recognizes that he's not considered a frontrunner this season - especially going up against professional athletes like Charlie White, Meryl Davis and Amy Purdy.
"It's a competition, but it's a fun competition. It's not life or death," Carey explains. "My joke is, it's not fair that I have to go up against Olympic gold medal ice dancers, but it's not fair that the Browns have to play the Patriots. That's just how it goes. ... I'm only in it for the experience. I'm not really in it to win a Mirrorball trophy."
Check out our full Q&A with Carey to see what he and Cheryl are working on for Disney Week - as well as what viewers would hear if microphones were planted in the skybox during the shows.
How did you feel about your routine with Witney last week?
Carey: I was pretty confident in the routine. I had it all dialed in, and I had it more memorized than all the other routines that I had. Witney's super easy to work with and fun. The routine was really fun, and I really liked the music. And to tell you the truth, it didn't have as many steps as other routines that I had, so it was pretty easy to memorize. I had a pretty easy time with it.
Erin Andrews: Reports of DWTS drama "had me worried"
What was the biggest difference between working with Witney and working with Cheryl?
Carey: Cheryl comes in and she says, "Here's the routine." She shows you it on her phone. It's all mapped out, and that's what you learn. Witney kind of made it up with me as we went. She had a general idea and ... she kind of worked on it over the day and a half, then had it all figured out. Cheryl has it all down and just teaches it to me. So, that was the biggest difference. But either way works for me.
Are you bringing anything you learned from working with Witney into your rehearsals with Cheryl this week?
Carey: Cheryl likes to get all the steps down before she puts music in and Witney let me use music right away to help me learn the steps. So, Cheryl's [now] letting me use music to learn it as I go. We already incorporated that in, which is really helping me out a lot. ... It makes it a lot easier to learn and it lets me know what things are coming. Your body reacts different when you're doing it to music. All the different stings and the horns and stuff that comes in helps you react better.
It definitely seems like you've been showing steady improvement from week to week. Would you agree?
Carey: Well, everybody else is great from the get-go! [Laughs]Absolutely. I think I'm improving week after week, and basic stuff that I had to learn, I know. Today we were doing something and Cheryl said, "OK, this part's a grapevine," and I just knew how to do it. ... And she doesn't have to hound me as much about my frame. A little bit, but not as much as she did a couple weeks ago. So she goes, "Watch your frame," and I know just what to do instead of having to stop every two seconds. So, it's a lot easier for Cheryl that way. And that'll get better and better.
DWTS scoop: Donny Osmond is Monday's guest judge
Is it intimidating going up against people like Charlie and Meryl?
Carey: As long as I do well every week and do a good job and [represent] myself well and do the best I can, then I'm getting everything I can out of it. I'm not worried about when I get kicked off or not or win the trophy or not. It doesn't matter to me. I'm here just to have fun and have a good experience, so that's what I'm worried about.
To be honest, that's the attitude I get from [other contestants] too. Everybody I talk to is there strictly just to have fun. It's a really fun group to be around. If you were to take hidden microphone recordings of what we're saying when we're up watching everyone else, away from the camera, all you would hear is positive, fun things. You wouldn't hear one negative comment. Everybody's so nice and friendly and has a really good spirit about things, even in rehearsal. ... Everybody just wants to do a good dance every week and just let the chips fall where they may.
Your routine for Most Memorable Year of Your Life week was very touching. How did it feel to have your son in the ballroom?
Carey: It was great. I don't see him as much as I want to, and so anything I can do to let him know how much I love him and care for him... he's the greatest kid. He's got the biggest heart and he's so sweet. He just turned 9. It means a lot to me. He means the world to me, and I love being a dad. I'm just really proud of him and everything he does, and I want him to be proud of me in everything I do. When you're working so hard, and you're away from him so much when you're working, I want him to see why.
You've also spoken pretty candidly about your health and weight struggles.
Carey: I haven't lost any weight on this stupid show. People bring this up to me all the time. I've talked to people who have lost a lot of weight by being on the show I guess a lot of contestants have lost a lot of weight on the show. I haven't lost a pound. I've been dancing my head off. I've also been eating extra. I haven't been eating any junk, but I've been eating extra. I'll have a couple extra protein shakes, extra fruit and stuff like that. I'm taking in extra calories for what I'm burning off. I still weigh the same when I step on the scales. It's very frustrating. I didn't join this to lose weight. That wasn't my goal when I got the show. But people bring it up to me all the time, like, "Have you lost any weight?" I'm like, "No."
Photos: TV's most stylish characters
What's been the most surprising or most challenging aspect of the show for you?
Carey: It's a lot of hours, man. Yesterday I got done with work at 6, had a half-hour to eat dinner then I had rehearsal. ... I was at rehearsal til 11:30. Went home, got up at 6:30 this morning ... and got to rehearsal at 8. ... And then tomorrow the same thing. The hours are brutal.
Physically, it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I was training for a marathon before I started doing this, so I'm in pretty good shape. My legs are in pretty good shape. My shoulders are more sore than my legs. I'm not used to holding my arms up that much.
What are you and Cheryl working on for this week?
Carey: It's Disney Week. I'm doing a quickstep. It's going great. ... I'm really pleased with it. It's pretty complicated. This is my hardest one ever. There's a lot of steps to learn, and this is the longest dance. The first dance I did was a minute and 10 seconds, and this is a minute and 30 seconds. So that extra 20 seconds is murder. It's a lot of steps to memorize, and a quickstep is all kinds of stuff happening.
Has it been difficult to juggle Dancing and The Price Is Right?
Carey: I'm having a great time. It's such a good show. I feel pretty lucky I'm on two shows on TV. I feel like I'm putting in a lot of hours but I'm doing something that's fun all the time. Price Is Right is a lot of fun. I'm dancing with Cheryl Burke, which is like, twist my arm, you know what I mean? I could be working in a coal mine. ... It's really a great experience. It's a rare experience and not many people get to do it, and I'm really excited I get to do a show like this, and [be] on Price Is Right at the same time. I'm like the luckiest guy in the world right now. It's the greatest.
Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.
View original Dancing's Drew Carey: "I Would Love to Do Another Switch-Up" at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com


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Two words for parents looking for a bedtime story for very young children: Owl Babies (Candlewick, 32 pp., $5.99, paperback, ages 1–3). In this popular picture book, Martin Waddell tells a lackluster story about the separation anxiety that strikes three fluffy white owlets that are left alone one night when their mother flies off to hunt for food. But Patrick Benson illustrates the tale with captivating ink-and-watercolor pictures that help to make up for the weaknesses of a text that is at times cutesy and overelaborated. Benson also sets the white owls against a very dark background that, more strongly than most picture books, immerses you in a nighttime world and sets the stage for bedtime.
© 2008 Janice Harayda. All rights reserved.


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Bruce Willis
Yearly Forecast for 2023
" I would say, 'I'm alone, but I'm not lonely.' But I was just kidding myself."
Bruce Willis is an American actor, producer, and singer who has appeared in over 60 films, including Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, The Fifth Element, Armageddon, The Sixth Sense (1999), Unbreakable, and is best known for starring in the Die Hard series.
He was born on Saturday March 19th 1955, in Idar-Oberstein, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
For Bruce Willis, 2023 is a year to carefully protect and nurture his plans. Bruce will be like a mother watching over her children, conscious of every threat, real or imagined.
Willis needs tact and cooperation to keep himself moving forward. There will likely be confrontations with others, requiring a subtle and gentle approach. He will have to stay focused on his goals, yet use intelligent persuasion. Being forceful may work against Bruce while compromises will work in his favor.
Bruce Willis will be unusually sensitive and may wonder at times what happened to the drive and momentum he felt last year. This year requires something else from Bruce now - a delicate sense of balance and a willingness to go around obstacles, without losing sight of his goal.
He may experience some emotional depressions and frustrations. The year is marked by struggle, but there are many opportunities to advance his plans. This is a year of slow growth, requiring patience.
Willis has to be discriminating in his associations and secretive about his plans. He must not talk too much about his ideas; be a bit secretive, and guard himself and his ideas. Bruce Willis is somewhat vulnerable this year.
This is a good year to improve himself through reading and research. Bruce's growing awareness of the less visible and less obvious aspects of life will make him much stronger and better prepared for the future.
Bruce Willis must be wise in all his relationships and associations this year. He is far more capable of establishing close, even life long relationships this year. Because sensitivity and openness are heightened, many people find their 'soul mate' in a two year.
May is the pivotal month in 2023. Bruce is extremely intuitive and sensitive. He is also self-reflecting and better able to influence his peers and situation through spiritual awareness. July 2023 brings Willis a culmination of plans and a distinct step forward. August 2023 sees things become more concrete and brings a new beginning. September 2023 is emotional, requiring adjustments, tact, and inner resolve. In general, 2023 is a year of growth and advancement, but through gentle means and indirect use of Bruce Willis' personal power.
Let's take a look now at Bruce's monthly forecast for February 2023.
You and Bruce
About Bruce's Personal Year Cycle
In numerology, each year of Bruce's life is part of an evolving pattern that can be described as a nine-year cycle or epicycle. These cycles begin at Bruce Willis' birth and progress, one by one, through nine steps that complete an epicycle, and then begin again.
Read more about our numerological yearly forecast for


text: By Jan JonesAs a mother of four children currently enrolled in or graduates of Fulton County Schools, I care deeply about public education in my community and Georgia. I know public education changes lives by giving young people opportunities to fulfill their potential and achieve the American dream.In this regard, I support Amendment One on the Nov. 6 election ballot to give Georgia's students more educational options through public charter schools. I support all the ways that our young people can get a leg up, including charter schools, traditional schools, dual enrollment at technical schools and colleges, virtual schooling, homeschooling, and private schools. I trust parents more than I trust government to make the best decisions for children. You see, real accountability can only reside with parents and students who live with the outcomes of a child's educational success or failure. And parents know one-size-does-not-fit-all children, including in educating them to thrive in a challenging global economy. Not all learn in the same way. Consider this: Our state's 67 percent graduation rate ranks 47th nationally. Georgia's eighth grade students place 41st in math proficiency. Among the 14 southeastern states, Georgia ranks dead last in graduates. But we rank first in average teacher salaries because we value our educators. Clearly, we need more effective and efficient strategies, including educational options like charter schools. And frankly, I'm troubled that the education establishment is misleading parents and educators and fighting so hard against giving them more choices and authority instead of celebrating another tool to reach students. I'm not scared of education reforms that have been tested here and elsewhere; I'm scared of accepting more of the same, including graduating a lower percentage of students than Mississippi. Predictably, the education establishment that regularly lobbies against reforms in Georgia and elsewhere finds it uncomfortable. But if Georgians approve Amendment One, students will benefit with opportunities that cannot always be pigeonholed within narrow school attendance lines. The charter amendment would assure that local school boards or the state could approve independent public charter schools to give parents more options when local communities request them. The amendment is needed after a controversial 2011 court decision overturned charter school policies in state law. A public charter school opens its doors only if parents choose to send their children to it and closes if the school does not meet achievement requirements spelled out in a charter, which is simply a five-year contract. Most students, though, like my own children, will likely continue to attend the local public school because it works for them. Public charter schools are run by local non-profit boards comprised of parents, teachers and community leaders and offer free, open enrollment to children. Furthermore, charter schools hire only public school teachers that qualify for state retirement and health benefits just like teachers at traditional schools. Next to the family, teachers matter most in students' academic achievement. Additionally, not one dollar of local property tax dollars is used to fund state-authorized charter school students. This is also true for high school students that take dual enrollment classes at technical schools and colleges. The state pays for these classes to supplement educational options, but not with local property tax dollars. Oftentimes, state- and system-authorized charter schools contract with private providers for up to 25 percent of services performed outside the classroom, such as back office accounting, administrative and maintenance functions. This allows schools to funnel more funding into the classroom where real learning takes place. As an analogy, the new cities of Milton, Johns Creek and Sandy Springs operate similarly. They hire policemen and firemen directly as government employees with benefits, but competitively bid out many non-essential services to keep costs down. Thirty-two other states allow a variety of charter schools to be approved by the state and school systems. It's been tried and true nationally as well as for 10 years in Georgia to complement system schools, increase parental choice and allow students with diverse needs more options to succeed. Some charter schools primarily serve students at risk of dropping out; others may offer a smaller or more structured, challenging environment. The bottom line is they have a record of getting results. Our state's future and that of our children and grandchildren depend on a vibrant array of educational opportunities that together meet the needs of all students. It's critical so Georgia can attract well-paying jobs that rely on a well-prepared workforce, not high school dropouts. Our state's priority must be what's best for our young people, not preserving the status quo, even when it is uncomfortable to the education establishment. Jan Jones (R-Milton), serves as Speaker Pro Tem in the Georgia House of Representatives and authored the charter school amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot.


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Around this time of the year, the lucky inhbitants of Johannesburg in South Africa are often visited by this handsome beast, known as the Parktown Prawn (Libanasidus vittatus). Originally found only in indigenous forests of northeastern part of the country, in 1960's these cricket and katydid relatives (Anostostomatidae) started appearing in gardens and houses around Jo-burg. It is not quite certain what attracted them there, but it was likely a combination of the relatively high humidity of suburban gardens, combined with the lack of their natural predators, mongooses and monitor lizards, in this anthropogenic environment.
These beautiful insects are feared by many, but of course they are completely and utterly harmless. The massive jaws seen in the males are used only in territorial battles with other males, and cannot be used to stab or bite a person. Their only defense is, unfortuntely, rather odorous defecation. But if left alone they make a beautiful addition to the South African urban ecosystem.


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- Your satisfaction is our number 1 priority. If you ever have any questions about ANYTHING please email email@example.com to get ahold of a Scooty Wraps representative, or reach out to us on Facebook / Instagram / Reddit / or Twitter.
Product Photos Disclaimer
Until Scooty Wrap's has acquired images of all wraps, product photos may differ slightly from actual appearance of the wrap in real life due to the following reasons:
Product Photos are currently photos of mockups and will vary slightly from real life prints, but will look very close and still amazing!
Different monitor colors / brightness / quality.
Slight color differences when converting Web RGB to print CMYK.
What they are saying!
Don't just take our word for how high quality our wraps are, see what other customers are saying: "Really well done", "Easy to apply", "Very nice quality", "I'm loving it and its getting a lot of attention" & more!
Full Wrap
The Full Size wrap for the Segway Ninebot ZING E12 eKickscooter includes more pieces than the Half Size wrap. This is possible because the Full Size wrap uses twice as much vinyl material compared to the Half Size. Additional pieces include footboard tops, handle bars, front cap, angle joint, etc..
Half Wrap / Orange Delete
The Half Size wrap for the Segway Ninebot ZING E12 eKickscooter includes less pieces than the Full Size wrap. The Half Wrap for the Segway E12 includes the neck piece and was designed to delete all orange visibility,
Gloss Lamination
Lamination is an important step in the wraps printing process. Lamination provides durable scuff-resistance, as well as water protection to your graphic. Gloss Lamination like shown below, creates a wet paint look that reflects sunlight brilliantly.
Matte Lamination
Matte Lamination like shown below, creates a unique look for your electric scooter and will not be as flashy as the gloss lamination. Both options are equally easy to apply.
Reflective Vinyl
Ride safer than ever before at night with a Reflective Vinyl wrap! Reflective vinyl has the same daytime and nighttime appearance and maintains most of its reflectivity when wet. Reflective vinyl only reflects or really "pops" at night. At night it positively glows white or silver with very little light.
Custom Wraps
Have an idea for a custom wrap? Let us know about it! Whether it's a single scooter, or an entire fleet, Scooty Wrap's wants to take on your custom scooter wrap project. Get inspiration for wrap ideas by searching for photos / patterns here, or start now and describe to us your vision!
How to Wrap Your Electric Scooter
Watch as head Scooty Wrapper Grant Denney demonstrates how your Scooty Wrap will arrive, best practices for applying, how to handle the material, & more! Segway E12 How to Wrap your electric scooter video coming soon... =]
Electric Scooter Wrap Time-lapse
Watch as head Scooty Wrapper Grant quickly removes a Scooty Wrap from a Ninebot E12, and then quickly applies another one in this time-lapse video. Actual application time was 1-hour.
What are the advantages of wrapping my scooter?
Wraps can almost instantly give your electric scooter a new and fresh look without the need for repainting.
Will the wrap protect my scooters paint from damage?
Wrap film will protect the paint underneath from some sun damage and mild abrasions. It is not designed as a paint protection film, but the wrap does provide some protection between light abuse.
What is the difference between a half wrap and a full wrap?
The Full Wrap uses 52" x 16" of vinyl material, compared to the Half Wrap which uses 52" x 8" of vinyl material. Therefore the Full Wrap contains more pieces and provides a more full coverage of your electric scooter than the half wrap.
How long does a wrap last?
The expected performance life—that is, the length of time the 3M wrap should look good and stay adhered—is up to 7 years if properly maintained.
How do I take care of my wrap?
- Wash whenever the scooter appears dirty. Contaminants allowed to remain on the graphic may be more difficult to remove during cleaning.
- Rinse off as much dirt and grit as possible with a spray of water.
- Use a wet, non-abrasive detergent.
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water. To reduce water spotting, immediately use a silicone squeegee to remove water and finish with a clean microfiber cloth.
Will the environment damage the wrap?
Wrap films (just like paint) are degraded by prolonged exposure to sun and atmospheric pollutants, particularly on horizontal surfaces. Whenever possible, store the electric scooter in a garage or at least in a shaded area during the day. At night, protect the scooter from dew or rain, which may contain acidic pollutants (a common problem in many large metropolitan areas).
Can wraps be installed over paint scratches, or dents?
Wrap film is very thin and flexible to allow it to conform beautifully to the contours of your scooter, but that means it also conforms to any imperfection such as a scratch or dent, and that will show through.
Can a damaged wrap be repaired?
We do not recommend replacing just one part of a wrap as you may not be satisfied with the visual differences that may be apparent, including color shifts due to using film from a different lot or printing done at a later date, and the slight fading or change in gloss that may have occurred on the installed film. However, if you'd still like to proceed we can definitely figure something out!
Can I remove the wrap?
You can, however exposure to sun, heat and other environmental factors will eventually cause the film's adhesive to degrade. As that happens, removal becomes more difficult and time consuming. After 3 years it is recommended to use heat to help you remove.
How hard is it to apply the wrap?
The wrap is not hard to apply, it just requires a little patience! A recent customer review said -
"I'm loving it and it's getting a-lot of attention and thumbs up by passerby's! Was very easy to install, although I left a few of the decals off just to have some contrast".
All wraps are printed on 3M vinyl with air release channels making for an easy bubble free install.
How long does it take to apply the wrap?
The Full Size wrap takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour to apply.
How long does it to receive my wrap after I order?
All orders received must first be printed. Scooty Wrap's prints wraps Monday to Friday from 8:00AM - 5:00PM CT. Printing times vary from 2-3 days. Shipments within the United State's take 2-3 days. Shipments outside of the United States take 7-10 days.
Do you ship outside of the United States?
Yes! Scooty Wrap's ships worldwide and in most cases will upgrade your shipping to a faster UPS shipment complimentary on us to guarantee your wrap arrives as fast as possible =].
Should I choose Matte or Gloss laminate?
Grant Denney the head Scooty Wrapper prefers gloss wraps, however orders are pretty evenly split 50/50 gloss / matte.
Production / Shipping Times
In order to bring you the widest variety of design choices to customize your electric scooters, Scooty Wrap's is unable to stock inventory and prints all wraps on demand once ordered.
- All orders that are received are processed in 1 - 2 days, and then sent to our printing team.
- Once printing proofs are accepted by the printing department, wraps typically take between 2 - 4 days to print.
- Wraps are only printed Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 5:00PM CST.
- Printing times can vary depending on how busy the printing team is.
- All orders are printed First in First Out, and no orders are rushed before others.
Once your order has been printed, it will be packaged, and shipped to you. At that point you'll receive an email with tracking information so you'll know its on its way =].
- Shipping prices are calculated at checkout by product weights through our third party shipping partner.
US Shipping times take typically between 1-3 days with Priority USPS mail.
Rest of the World Shipping: Estimated duties and prices are calculated at the checkout page. If you live in another country other than the United States you will unfortunately have to pay duties to receive your order from your local post office / courier. Shipping times are calculated by our third party shipping app. Times vary based on which method you've selected. Only methods with tracking are available.
- Communication - If you ever have any questions about the progress of your wrap, email firstname.lastname@example.com for the quickest response or reach out on Facebook / Instagram.


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2011 Cadillac Awards
J.D. Power Award Recipient
Each year, J.D. Power presents awards for quality, dependability and performance, to a select few models within the marketplace that have ranked highest within their category. Awards are also given for car dealership sales and service experience to those brands that rank highest in the industry. Cadillac was awarded the following 2 J.D. Power awards for 2011.
See Other Years


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2012-04-17 #1346http://www.EquationArts.com
Doodle Delivery – Subscribe!Subscribe to occasionally brighten your inbox with a bundle of doodles wrapped in a few thoughtful thoughts on being a beacon in this crazy-wonderful world.
Left Brain + Right Brain = My BlogThis blog is chock full of joyful drawings and a few musings on personal branding, startups, creativity and being a beacon.
Featured Posts
The Be A Beacon Show
Send a Free eCardIf the drawings on this website give you a smile why not share one? I added a free ecard system so you can send "doodlegrams" to anyone you'd like. Go ahead, send a smile! Just click on the words eCard (free) below any doodle on the blog .
"I adore your doodles... I swear looking at those bunnies lowers my blood pressure, calms my mind and makes me smarter. Who needs meditation when there are bunnies?"
~Caitlín Mowbray - Meditation Teacher, Astrologer and Soul Provocateur


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Minnesota town has 4-year-old boy as mayor
DORSET, Minn. - Supporters of the mayor in the tiny tourist town of Dorset can stuff the ballot box all they want as he seeks re-election. The mayor - a short guy - is known for his fondness of ice cream and fishing. And he's got the county's top law enforcement official in his pocket.
Say hello to Mayor Robert "Bobby" Tufts. He's 4 years old and not even in school yet.
Bobby was only 3 when he won election last year as mayor of Dorset (population 22 to 28, depending on whether the minister and his family are in town). Dorset, which bills itself as the Restaurant Capital of the World, has no formal city government.
Every year the town draws a name during its Taste of Dorset Festival, and the winner gets to be mayor. Anyone can vote as many times as they like - for $1 a vote - at any of the ballot boxes in stores around town. Bobby is running for a second term, and he gets to draw the winning name Aug. 4, so it's possible he could draw his own name.
Calls of "Mr. Mayor" greet Bobby as he strolls around Dorset, handing out his campaign card. One side shows Bobby, his dark hair slicked down, wearing his tan fishing vest over a suit jacket. The other side shows Bobby sitting in a porch swing with his girlfriend, Sophie.
"I would love to be your Mayor as much as I love Sophie," the card reads.
"He's been pretty good. Lotta PR for the town," said his mother, Emma Tufts, 34. "I think he's doing a fine job."
Bobby's job as mayor is to greet people as they come to Dorset, located among the pines and lakes of northern Minnesota about 150 miles northwest of Minneapolis. Resorts and tourism are the main industry, and restaurants ranging from Mexican to Italian to family style line about two blocks on either side of the highway that runs through the middle of town.
Bobby's major act as mayor so far has been to make ice cream the top of the food pyramid. He has many favorite flavors.
"Chocolate. And vanilla. Strawberry. Cotton candy kind. And rainbow sherbet," said the mayor.
On a recent steamy summer morning, Bobby skipped ahead as he led a group of about 20 children and adults on a walk on the Heartland Trail to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley in Fargo, N.D. He wore his signature black fedora, adorned with fishing lures and a large button with his photo, and seemed endlessly energetic.
"I think he's a cute little bugger and I think a lot of people share the same, you know, opinion as me, and it's neat," Hubbard County Sheriff Cory Aukes says. "You know, how often do you see a little kid like that who's - call 'em camera-friendly or whatever, you know - he's got a very good little personality, and he's not afraid to show it. So I think it's great."


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New Orleans braces for fallout from blackout
NEW ORLEANS — A Super Bowl week that had gone so smoothly for the Big Easy suddenly turned bizarre when everyone was watching.
The lights went out on the biggest game of the year.
Just imagine the uproar if Baltimore had lost.
The outage, blamed on an unspecified "abnormality" in the Superdome's power system, was an embarrassment for New Orleans, which was hosting its first Super Bowl since 2002 and was eager to show off how it has been rebuilt since Hurricane Katrina.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu called Sunday night's outage "an unfortunate moment in what has been an otherwise shining Super Bowl week for the city of New Orleans."
He said he expected to receive "a full after-action report from all parties involved" in the coming days.
The Ravens had been cruising along with a 28-6 lead in the game when, without warning, the power to the Superdome suddenly shut down early in the third quarter, plunging parts of the 38-year-old stadium into darkness and leaving TV viewers with no football and no explanation why.
For 34 minutes, the players tried to stay loose, the fans milled about in darkened corridors, and stadium officials scrambled to figure out what went wrong. The Ravens barely hung on for a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, needing a goal-line stand in the closing minutes to preserve the championship.
"It really hurt us," Baltimore fullback Vonta Leach said. "We had lot of momentum."
There is sure to be some fallout for the city and the Superdome — especially since New Orleans plans to bid for the title game in 2018, in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of its founding.
Escalators stopped working and credit-card machines shut down, though auxiliary power kept the playing field and concourses from going totally dark.
"We sincerely apologize for the incident," Superdome spokesman Eric Eagan said.
Most fans seemed to take the outage in stride, even starting up the wave to pass the time.
"So we had to spend 30 minutes in the dark? That was just more time for fans to refill their drinks," said Amanda Black of Columbus, Miss.
The problem occurred shortly after Beyonce put on a halftime show that featured extravagant lighting and video effects.
A joint statement from Entergy New Orleans, which provides power to the stadium, and Superdome operator SMG shed some light on the chain of events, although they weren't sure about the source of the problem. It apparently started at the spot where Entergy feeds power into the stadium's lines.
"A piece of equipment that is designed to monitor electrical load sensed an abnormality in the system," the statement said. "Once the issue was detected, the sensing equipment operated as designed and opened a breaker, causing power to be partially cut to the Superdome in order to isolate the issue. ... Entergy and SMG will continue to investigate the root cause of the abnormality."
The FBI quickly ruled out terrorism, and the New Orleans Fire Department dismissed reports that a fire might have been the cause.
On the CBS broadcast, play-by-play announcers Jim Nantz and Phil Simms went silent. Sideline reporter Steve Tasker announced to viewers a "click of the lights" as the problem. Later, the halftime crew anchored by host James Brown returned to fill the time with football analysis.
"We lost all power up here at the press box level," Nantz said after power was restored. He and Simms were off the air for most of the outage.
The failure occurred shortly after Jacoby Jones returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a 108-yard touchdown, the longest play in Super Bowl history and pushing the Ravens to a commanding lead. But when play resumed, the momentum totally changed.
The Niners scored two straight touchdowns and nearly pulled off a game-winning drive in the closing minutes. They had first down inside the Ravens 10, but Baltimore kept them out of the end zone to preserve the victory.
The blackout, it turned out, became more of a footnote than a spark to what would have been the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.
"It just took us longer to lose," moaned San Francisco linebacker Ahmad Brooks.
No one could remember anything like this happening in the title game, but it wasn't unprecedented.
Just last season, the Niners endured two power outages during a Monday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Candlestick Park.
"I didn't know what was going on," San Francisco safety Dashon Goldson said. "I just tried to keep my legs warmed up."
The Ravens felt the delay turned what looked like a blowout into a close game. Safety Ed Reed said some of his teammates began to fret as the delay dragged on.
"The bad part is we started talking about it," he said. "Some of the guys were saying, 'They're trying to kill our momentum.' I was like, 'There's two teams on the field.' But once we started talking about it, it happened. We talked it up."
A few of the Ravens threw footballs around to stay loose. Others took a seat on the bench, or sprawled out on the turf.
"I was a little stiff when I got back out there," Baltimore running back Ray Rice conceded. "I'm just glad we were able to finish the game and be world champions."
Finally, the lights came back on throughout the dome and the game resumed.
"Let's go!" referee Jerome Boger barked to the teams.
Monique Richard, who is from the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, had tickets in the Superdome's upper deck.
"My exact words on the way over here were, 'I hope this goes off without a hitch,' because the city just looked so good, they were doing so well, the weather so good everything was kind of falling into place," she said. "Hopefully, everybody will be understanding."
New Orleans was once a regular in the Super Bowl rotation and hopes to regain that status. The Superdome has undergone $336 million in renovations since Katrina ripped its roof in 2005. Billions have been spent sprucing up downtown, the airport, French Quarter and other areas of the city in the past seven years.
Maybe they forgot one of the basics.
Joked Doug Cook, a Ravens fan from New Orleans: "They didn't pay the light bill."


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One concern that has been mentioned in many of my classes is the lack of marketing about the library. Librarians and libraries perform vital services but many people are unaware of what these services are. This affects all kinds of libraries. One professor, who also worked at a public library, felt that outside of hardcore library patrons, most members of the community had no idea that the library provides services such as free internet access, medical reference and programming. Another professor talked about how City University of New York schools had been given a grant to create better reference resources for students. The result was a comprehensive group of online reference guides by subject and including links to encyclopedias, databases and journal articles. The problem? They weren't being used because very few students knew they existed; including almost everyone in my class, a reference class where we should be most informed about research resources.
As search engines and databases make it easier for users to answer reference questions on their own the way that librarians can stay relevant is to market the amazing work that they do. But what are effective ways to do that?
- Thinking like a business- Though librarians and libraries perform services for the public at no cost, my public library professor suggested that libraries, especially public libraries, start thinking more like a business. He paraphrased another professor in saying libraries could increase their number of patrons by being open longer. Bookstores like Barnes and Noble are open until 9:00 PM so that customers are able to stop by after work. Most libraries however, are usually only open until 5:00 or 6:00 and paradoxically cutting library hours seems to be the first cost saving measure that many libraries take. Librarians can also meet patrons where they usually spend time, for example opening library branches in malls and other retail outlets to increase visibility in a community.
- Embedded librarians- Where libraries in shopping malls create better visibility for public library services, embedded librarians create better visibility for academic library services. Embedded librarianship and online reference resources allow librarians to leave the library and go to places where students work, to introduce research strategies and resources. Three out of four classes I have taken in my LIS program have been at a computer lab and this is where I do most of my research for assignments. This has made me see the value in having librarians available in spaces like these, outside the traditional domain of a librarian.
- Blogs- You do not have to look very far to find blogs written by librarians about the great work they are doing. Just take a look here. These blogs give librarians an opportunity to promote the work they are doing and share ideas with other librarians. Though librarianship is not always thought to be the flashiest of professions, blogs give us a chance to showcase the innovative work we do and advertise this to others.
- Twitter- Beginning my LIS program, I was anti-Twitter, believing that a 140 character tweet was doing the exact opposite of what I wanted to do; encouraging patrons to read and love books. My attitude changed when all my classes stressed the importance of social media and Web 2.0 to librarians. I decided to open my own account, which gave me information about many opportunities, including the opportunity to be a Hack Library School blogger, that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. One of my favorite twitter feeds is that of the New York Public Library. The NYPL tweets an interesting or thought provoking line from a book, well-known or obscure, with no title or author information. The link at the end of the tweet brings the user directly to the catalog where the reader can find out more information about the book and can request it to be held at any of the branch locations. These tweets recommend good books and encourage patrons to visit their physical library branch in a few short lines.
This list leaves many holes, including how to market the library to those who have never used it. Chances are users who are following library twitter accounts and reading librarian blogs are not first time library users. In our LIS programs we have the unique opportunity to share and discuss marketing idea that work in libraries, so what has worked for you?
Categories: Professional Life, Social Media


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Rachel Anne Dort has not received any gifts yet
Welcome to Think Atheist, Rachel Anne! It is great to have you here.
Message me, or tweet me (@Monicks), or find me on G+, or contact any of the Moderators with any suggestions or questions.
Make sure to search the Groups to find members interested in the same topics as you, or the Forums to find debates on all kinds of issues.
Here's a list of useful links to get you started:
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Rage Comic Maker- Tons of fun.
Shop at Think Atheist Book Store and Apparels
~ Monica
Welcome to the Think Atheist community Rachel! Join us in the chat on the bottom right of the screen and feel free to ask questions and get involved as much or as little as you want! If you would like to, add me as a friend and I'm also on twitter as RSAnative if you care to follow. Welcome again and make yourself at home!


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The Doom of Yahoo?
If creativity were simply a matter of having a bunch of people in an office, well, IBM of the 1980s and 1990s would have been the most creative business on the planet. The company employed close to 300,000 people worldwide, all working out of offices. As we all know, IBM went on to invent Windows, the Internet, online search, social networking, and the mobile phone. Oh wait, maybe not.
Creativity is an odd beast. According to the New York Times, Marissa Mayer at Yahoo decided that the reason she had to end Yahoo's telecommuting policy was to make the company more creative. Another article in the Times claimed that the reason was because Yahoos weren't actually working at home: the article mentioned Yahoo employees founding startups while on Yahoo's payroll. At least the explanations for Mayer's actions are creative, so maybe her policy is already bearing fruit!
Unfortunately, the idea that forcing everyone into the office will somehow enable managers to "keep an eye" on employees is both pointless and counterproductive. Again, if that were all it took, we'd be seeing a lot more amazingly productive employees at all those companies that don't allow telecommuting. Yet, the reality is the other way around, provided the organizational culture and metrics for measuring performance actually encourage the appropriate behaviors. Frequently they don't, which certainly appears to be the case at Yahoo. Bringing people into the office isn't going to change that. Fixing a culture trapped in a cycle of defeat is much harder than a few slogans and forcing people to all mix at the water-cooler; however, forcing everyone into the office certainly feels like Taking Action. It is an Exercise of Power. It feels good, even though the actual results are likely to be both less positive than its supporters believe, and less negative than the naysayers are predicting. In short, a few people will probably leave and the rest will get used to working in the office again. At that point, all the old problems will still be there and will still be killing Yahoo. If Yahoo wants to fix that, perhaps they should learn how to set actual effective goals, with a well-defined strategy that they can then evaluate. I'm sure that's what they think they've already done; I'm also quite sure that if they had actually done it right, they wouldn't be having the problems they claim they are trying to fix.
Let's face it, if you have effective goal setting and measurable strategy, then an employee who founds his own startup while on the payroll should be picked up simply because he won't be meeting his objectives. Moreover, employees with goals they believe in and who are working for an organization they value do not, as rule, start their own companies on the side. Forcing people to sit where they can be watched over may force some people to behave, but it won't make them enthusiastic or creative. If Yahoo is looking for compliant employees, they're on the right track. If they really want creativity, maybe not so much.
As far as creativity, again that's a tricky problem. In the 1990s, Yahoo was so far outside the box that they created a new box. Since early 2000, however, Yahoo's been stuck in that very same box of their own creation while other companies, notably Google, thought outside of it. As I discuss in my talk, "Organizational Culture and Innovation: A Two-Edged Sword," creativity is largely a function of environment and culture. Individuals do matter, of course, but even the most creative people will be stifled if the culture doesn't truly support innovation. Even in organizations that claim that their culture supports innovation, what they really mean is that they support innovating in what they already do, not coming up with something radically different: the desire to protect existing products is very powerful, although it won't stop your competitors from eating your lunch. Thus, after a certain point organizations become better and better at making what they already do more and more effective, but become equally resistant to doing something that's really new. In other words, you can improve your better mousetrap all you want until someone shows up with a cat. You have to know how to change your culture and build up the four elements that support creativity if you really want to see serious innovation.
Google built a creative culture from the ground up. That culture involves people working closely together. Yahoo does not have that culture. Just bringing people back into the office isn't going to change that. Yahoo is far more likely to end up not with creativity but with compliance.