text:
In the digital age every bank has an online presence, from my little credit union to the big national players. However, not all banks are geared toward serving small business via the internet and, while they all offer you a lot of promises and maybe a flashy new toaster oven, not all of them offer you the services that you need at a competitive price. Here's what to look for and how to spot those that offer online small business banking from the poseurs.
Customer Service and Big vs. Small Banks
One thing that you may read is how important it is to "cultivate relationships" with your banker and how important your banker is in expediting and even deciding whether or not you get a loan. While this may still be true in the smaller banks, in larger regional or national banks you will never, ever meets the person who approves your loan. A buddy of mine who was a big shot at a major bank before ditching it all to go into the Peace Corps said that the big banks create a strong separation from the banker that you meet, who is basically a sales person, and the person who decides, who is basically an accountant. So skip bribing your banker with chocolate truffles or bottles of bourbon. In fact, if you already bought the "gifts," just send them here and I'll gladly dispose of them for you for free!
Similarly, once the recommendation for business people was to keep all their banking with one bank, in order to build up a relationship of trust with that bank. Now, however, the idea of relationship is breaking down and, thanks to the internet and the relative ease of online banking, small businesses can cherry pick the best services off a smorgasbord of banks just like the Bigs do. In fact, the biggest reason that I can see of deliberately keeping all services with a single bank is not having to remember more than one sign-on, password, and pin!
What Your Bank Should Be Able to Do for You
Business Checking Account
One of the essential elements of running your own business is treating it as a separate entity distinct from your own personal affairs or the affairs of your other businesses or investments. Failing to treat your business as a separate entity opens up numerous potential legal and tax consequences that could end up being very costly or even financially disastrous to you. Opening up a business banking account is one essential act that helps establish your business as a separate entity. For most business the key to the checking account is functionality, forget interest rates and a few dollars difference in cost. The key questions are:
- Can you use the web site to pay pre-pay bills, transfer money, accept online payments and whatever other essential services that your business might need?
- Are you able to easily download information from the online site to QuickBooks Online or whatever other accounting software that you might be using?
- Do they have the highest level of online security that is convenient for you?
- Are they relatively light on "hidden fees" that $5 and $10 you to death just to be able to perform regular, essential operations of your business?
Small businesses run by new entrepreneurs often have lower standards of security and this is especially true when it comes to banking and banking online. The smalls just don't have the expertise nor the payrolls stuffed with I.T. professionals to keep up with the Trojans and frauds that cyber-criminals use to prey upon the unfortunate, and the unwary. You want the highest level of security possible but without making it so inconvenient on yourself that you aren't fully able to take advantage of the online services. For example, while I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala I often had to do my banking from internet cafes, and not always with my laptop that was impractical to lug around. When Chase, my original bank, changed the security so that I had to go through a complicated and time-consuming process every time I tried to access my account from a different computer I had to change banks (rather, I added a new bank) because that just wasn't doable for me.
Loans and Lines of Credit
Loans are a prime area of shopping around and using the power of the internet to shave a fraction of a point off the interest rate. However, if you can't pay the loan through an electronic transaction between the bank of your checking account and the bank that services the loan and make that payment for free then who cares about a little reduction of the interest rate. I like to look around for the best deal and then ask my primary bank if they can match it, just to keep my life as simple as possible.
Credit Cards
One of the easiest ways to make payments these days is by credit card and you will want at least one that is exclusively used for business purposes. There is no "best" credit card for small business and usually your bank will be able to provide you one. Keep in mind that you want one that is easy to set up and maintain electronically, that is widely accepted (especially if you travel for business), and has a high enough limit for what you need. Remember that building up credit for your business is just like building up credit personally, the better your history the higher your limit will be.
In Conclusion
Starting up a small business can be intimidating and the days when you could have a banker hold your hand and guide you through the process are long gone. The flip side of that is the incredible amount of information available to you at your fingertips. Another advantage is that you are no longer geographically limited, a world of banks is waiting to serve you! Just remember to keep in mind the services that you need, those that you don't need, and those that you need but could be found at another bank for a better price. Happy banking!


text:
...hold tight and pretend it's a plan...
wonderful advice from a sublime set of doctors - sort of a non-motivational inspiration - happiness and humor in a hoop!
if you are the person laughing out loud at the rack of humorous greeting cards, and pinning snarky e-cards to your boards, hoop art is for you!
and if you are a Dr. Who fan, you must have at least one to several of these inany corner of your home or office - perfect for the lover of witty words displayed in a unique way.the base for each piece has two layers of fabric sandwiched between a painted wooden hoop. words and quotes are layered on by painting, printing with distressed inks, or heat set with vinyl.
the circumference of this hoop is available in six different sizes - simply choose your size from the drop-down menu. it can be hung by a ribbon loop through the hoop tightening screw or simply hooked over a nail.
while fabric supplies last, the back of the hoop art is crafted from fabric with pictures of the entire Doctor Who lineup! otherwise, the back will have a colorful fabric from the pretty clever stash.
sarcasm...it's how we hug - words to live by, straight from the Doctor!
PS - if you want tocreate your own custom hoop, use this link!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Worried about getting a fair shake from investigators, Duke Energy is asking a judge to shield its records from North Carolina regulators and environmental groups while a federal criminal probe is ongoing.
In a court motion, a defense lawyer for Duke argued that turning over records demanded as part of state lawsuits over the company's coal ash dumps could hurt the investigation's integrity, especially if the documents were to become public.
Federal prosecutors have issued at least 23 subpoenas as part of a widening criminal probe triggered by the Feb. 2 spill at Duke's plant in Eden, which coated 70 miles of the Dan River in toxic sludge. Duke has received two of the subpoenas, which order the company to provide reams of documents to a grand jury that has convened in Raleigh.
Federal investigators are looking at whether the company received preferential treatment from the state environmental agency. Duke has nearly three dozen other ash pits spread out at 14 coal-fired power plants across the state.
"Duke Energy strongly denies that it has in any way knowingly violated any law or committed any crime," says the motion, filed last week. "The government of the United States has the right to investigate the matters involved in these cases and Duke Energy intends to cooperate fully in that investigation so that it may receive a fair and unbiased assessment of its actions. This cannot occur if the proceedings of the grand jury and material provided to it are made a part of discovery in these cases."
The state court cases at issue deal with environmental violations at Duke plants near Charlotte and Asheville.
Working on the behalf of a coalition of citizens groups, the Southern Environmental Law Center tried to use the U.S. Clean Water Act to sue Duke last year in federal court over groundwater pollution leeching from its coal ash dumps.
The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources instead used its authority to issue violations and take the case to state court, quickly negotiating a settlement that would have fined Duke $99,111 with no requirement that the $50 billion company clean up its pollution. The citizens groups protested, calling it a "sweetheart deal" intended to protect Duke from possibly harsher federal penalties.
The agency asked a judge to dismiss that agreement last week, saying it now intends to move forward in court. The citizens groups have intervened in the case, meaning they will have access to documents Duke would provide.
In its motion, Duke said it wants to keep the records under wraps to "preserve the integrity" of the federal grand jury investigation and said the documents could be "publicized and disseminated through the media." If that happened, the company's lawyers said "the ability of Duke Energy to receive a fair and unbiased investigation into its action would be irrevocably compromised."
Frank Holleman, senior staff attorney with the environmental law group, said Duke's motion is a stalling tactic.
"They are using the fact that they are caught up in a federal criminal investigation related to their coal ash storage as an excuse to try to postpone the enforcement of the law against them," he said. "It's exactly backward from how you think the law would operate."
State environmental agency spokesman Jamie Kritzer said he couldn't comment on the investigation.
In the last month, state regulators have issued nine environmental violations against Duke because of the spilland issues at other plants. The latest was Friday for a crack in a dam at a coal ash dump in Moncure, where regulators say Duke illegally pumped 61 million gallons of contaminated water into the Cape Fear River. Coal ash is known to contain numerous chemicals that are highly toxic to people and aquatic life, including arsenic, lead and mercury.
The state ordered Duke to take steps to ensure the earthen dam's stability. Duke has said it finished emergency repairs Monday to the dam that holds back millions of tons of coal ash.
Also Friday, state environmental officials said they had detected high levels of the poisonous element thallium leaking from a coal ash dump at Duke's Cliffside Steam Station in the western part of the state.
Though the specific reading was not disclosed, the state said its testing showed thallium at a level exceeding that considered safe for surface waters leeching from Duke's dump into the Broad River. A sample collected farther downstream from the plant also detected thallium, though at a level within safety standards, according to the agency.


text:
By Jim Harrington
Down in Austin for Austin City Limits Music Festival, I had the cool opportunity to go on a "hard hat" tour of a new venue set to open in downtown Austin in early 2011: Austin City Limits Live.
This venue is going to transform the downtown Austin music scene. It's a new $40 million state-of-the-art performance space. It will seat 3,000, but it feels way more intimate than that. Every city should have a place this cool. But few do. Continue Reading


text:
Thomas L. Kilbride was born in LaSalle. He received a B.A. degree magna cum laude from St. Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota in 1978 and received his law degree from Antioch School of Law in Washington, D.C., in 1981.
Justice Kilbride practiced law for 20 years in Rock Island, engaging in the general practice of law, including appeals, environmental law, labor law, employment matters, and other general civil and criminal matters. He was admitted to practice in the United States District Court of Central Illinois and the United States Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He was elected to the Supreme Court of Illinois for the Third District in 2000 and was elected as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court in October, 2010.
Justice Kilbride is a past board member, past president and past vice-president of the Illinois Township Attorneys Association, a past volunteer lawyer and charter member of the Illinois Pro Bono Center, and a member of the Illinois State Bar and Rock Island County Bar Associations. He has served as volunteer legal advisor for the Community Caring Conference, the charter chairman of the Quad Cities Interfaith Sponsoring committee, volunteer legal advisor to Quad City Harvest, Inc., and a past member of the Rock Island Human Relations Commission.


text:
Buy a Home
Home-Buying Loan Types
Guide To Home Buying
Compare Mortgages
Conventional Loans
VA Loans
FHA Loans
203k Loans
USDA Loans
Fixed Rate Loans
Adjustable-Rate Mortgages
Jumbo Loans
Low Down Payment Mortgages
Before You Buy…
First Time Home Buyer's Guide
How much home can you afford?
Mortgage Basics
Credit Scores
Down Payments
Getting Pre-Approved
Lender Reviews
Mortgage Rates by State
Calculators And Tools
Mortgage Payment Calculator with PMI
FHA Loan Calculator
VA Loan Calculator
USDA Loan Calculator
Mortgage Payment Calculator
Home Affordability Calculator
Down Payment Calculator
Loan Limits
USDA Income Limits
Refinance Loan Types
Types of Refinances
Conventional Refinance
HIRO Mortgage Program
FMERR Program
VA Streamline Refinance
VA Cash-Out Refinance
FHA Streamline Refinance
USDA Streamline Refinance
Cash-Out Refinance
Before You Refinance…
Guide To Refinancing
Refinance Calculator
How Does Refinancing Work?
What Are Current Mortgage Rates?
Should I Refinance?
Negotiating A Mortgage Rate
Lender Reviews
Mortgage Rates by State
I Want To…
Lower My Monthly Payment
Get Cash From My Home
Pay Off My Mortgage Faster
Lower My Interest Rate
Refinance To Fixed-Rate From ARM
Remove Mortgage Insurance
News And Forecasts
Home Financing News
Mortgage Rates Today
Mortgage Rates by State
New York
North Carolina
View More States
Mortgage News
Mortgage Rates Forecast
Economic News
Federal Reserve
Real Estate News
Step By Step Guides To…
Buying a Home
Refinancing a Home
Types of Home Loans
Building Good Credit
Owning A Home
Investment Properties & Second Homes
From Renting To Homeownership
Selling A Home
All Guides
Talk to a Lender:
(888) 571-0698
Request Rates
Talk to a Lender:
(888) 571-0698
Who We Are


text:
Just wanted to share a link from the Kurt Vonnegut of NBA writers, Mark Heisler at the Times, who has been following the US basketball team through Asia this month.
As fans had done when Bryant went to the free-throw line in the exhibitions in Macao, fans here chanted "MVP!"
"It feels like home away from home," Bryant said. "It's great to be so far from Staples Center and still have so much support, I feel like I'm home."


text:
|Square Size
1120x1120mm, 1200x1200mm, 508x508mm, 711x711mm, 914x914mm
|Frame Type
20mm Thin Box Frame, 40mm Angle Frame, 40mm Thick Box Frame
|Frame Colour
Black, Natural, White
Beach House
$220.00 – $690.00
All artwork is printed on 100% Australian made 200GSM paper on clay coasted foam.
Solvent UV curable ink
Finished with a clear float glass on top and 40mm white boarder around picture.
Finished with 100% hardwood timber frame
Second picture in carousal shows a print in a 20mm Thin box frame in Natural finish
Please allow 3-4 weeks for printing, framing and delivery of artwork
If you have any custom requests or questions in regards to artwork please contact [email protected] Art can also be printed on canvass, glass or perspex at an additional cost.
Dimension Variations below
Delivery will be approx 3-4 weeks after placing the order via a freight sensitive courier.
Dispatch Time:N/A
There are no reviews yet.


text:
School bus company fined for idling
The Environmental Protection Agency has cited a school bus company that runs buses in Greenwich and Danbury for several cases of excessive diesel idling in Connecticut.
The buses, which are operated by Ocean State Transit and STA of Connecticut, were observed last fall idling for excessive periods in Greenwich, Danbury, Naugatuck, Higganum and Groton, as well as in Rhode Island. In fall 2011, the EPA observed some buses idling for more than 30 minutes before the buses left the lot to pick up schoolchildren.
The EPA, which could not be reached for comment, did not specify which locations had the longest idling times.
State idling regulations, which are enforceable by the EPA, generally limit idling in Connecticut to three minutes and in Rhode Island to five minutes. Under the settlement, the companies will pay a $35,000 penalty and perform environmental projects valued at $131,000.
Greenwich Public Schools spokeswoman Kim Eves said the buses that transport students in Greenwich were found idling in the bus company's parking lot, and not at any schools.
Lynette Viviani, a spokeswoman for Student Transportation of America, which is based in Wall, N.J., and owns both bus companies named in the settlement, said the company "has worked closely with the EPA and developed a comprehensive program to promote awareness and educate its drivers on the impact of idling."
Under the settlement, the companies will implement a national training and management program to prevent excessive idling from STA's entire fleet of school buses. STA drivers, dispatchers and managers will be trained to comply with state and local anti-idling regulations and to avoid excessive idling. STA will require all of its supervisors to monitor idling in school bus lots, will post anti-idling signs in areas where drivers congregate and will notify the school districts it serves of its anti-idling policy.
STA of Connecticut will replace nine older school buses with new buses that are equipped with state-of-the-art pollution controls. Ocean State will install GPS units and tracking systems on 117 of its buses to facilitate tracking and eliminate excessive idling.
"Our fleet of school vehicles is the one of the youngest in the industry and includes late-model buses with emissions controls serving Connecticut school districts," Viviani said. "We believe it is also incumbent upon the public to ensure all vehicles reduce their emissions as we have committed to in this agreement."
Joseph Martino, finance director for the Danbury school system, said the bus company has periodically been reminding drivers of the idling regulations.
"In colder weather, they are allowed to idle a bit longer because of problems with the diesel fuel gelling," he said.
There is also signage posted outside the schools reminding the drivers of the rule.
"In Danbury, we are fortunate because our bus fleet is one of the newer ones. Most of them are 2003-04 models," Martino said.
Idling diesel engines emit pollutants which can cause or aggravate a variety of health problems including asthma and other respiratory diseases, and the fine particles in diesel exhaust are a likely human carcinogen, according to the EPA. Idling school buses consume about a half-gallon of fuel per hour.
The agreement is similar to earlier settlements with First Student Inc. and Durham School Services. After those companies, Student Transportation of America is the third-largest provider of school bus transportation services in North America. STA operates in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas, Washington and California.


text:
Monogram Motif Cotton Piqué Polo Shirt
All orders will be fulfilled by Burberry Limited and shipped from the UK. When you place your order, you accept Burberry's Terms and Conditions and confirm that you have read our Privacy Policy.
Size Guide
Use the Size Guide to choose the best fit for your measurements.
In this window, you can find out the shipping and returns options for the selected item.
In this window, you can contact customer service for further assistance.
- A polo shirt in cotton piqué, updated with an embroidered Thomas Burberry Monogram and our Vintage check at the placket.
- Polo shirt length: 73cm/28.7in. This is based on a size UK M as proportions change slightly according to size.
- Model's height: 189cm/6ft 2in. Model wears size UK M.
- 100% cotton
- Trim: 96% cotton, 4% elastane
- Machine wash
- Imported
Item 80375941


text:
Just think, about 2000 years ago, people in Jerusalem were dancing this night away, singing God is dead, basically.
I wander what was going on during that night? There were guards all around the grave of Jesus. Supernatural events during the crucifixion were likely fresh on everyone's minds (but I still think there was a lot of celebrating going on because Jesus, the scoundrel, was dead).
'Believers' huddled behind closed doors pining the night away, not knowing that the real Passover had passed-over into death...
...And was getting ready to Pass-back-over into LIFE.
A lot of stuff was going on because of what was going on behind that stone.
The sun is almost up. I suppose someone ought to go anoint the body of Jesus.
But surely He stinketh by now.


text:
Benjamin Cummings is the publisher of Biology: Life on Earth with Physiology; used copies are available at discounted prices through our site now. Written by Gerald Audesirk, Teresa Audesirk and Bruce E Byers, this text book is perfect for anyone studying life sciences and biology. Buy Biology: Life on Earth with Physiology online from us today for an affordable price. We have discounted copies of this 9th edition version, published in 2010, available now. Opt for previously owned copies if you want the best deals on this particular text book. We buy back Biology: Life on Earth with Physiology as well, so bear this in mind. Bruce E. Byers is the author of 'Biology: Life on Earth with Physiology (9th Edition)', published 2010 under ISBN 9780321598462 and ISBN 0321598466.[read more]
{{post.questionOneAnswer|unescape}} {{post.questionTwoAnswer|unescape}}[read more]
You can find lots of answers to common customer questions in our FAQs
View a detailed breakdown of our shipping prices
Learn about our return policy
Still need help? Feel free to contact us
View college textbooks by subject
and top textbooks for college
With our dedicated customer support team, you can rest easy knowing that we're doing everything we can to save you time, money, and stress.


text:
The EOS magazine forum is provided by the publishers of EOS magazine, a quarterly publication produced in the UK dedicated to all things EOS. The forum is designed as a place where magazine subscribers (and anyone else interested in Canon cameras, accessories and photographers) can freely discuss the wonderful world of Canon EOS photography.
Discussion and commentary on all things Canon related are freely encouraged, all we ask is that you are courteous and professional towards other forum users at all times.
The forum went 'live' on Friday 14 August 2009. Please post to a 'Forum Feedback' thread if you encounter any problems or have suggestions for improvements.


text:
I just heard from my LHBS that Wyeast 1338 European Ale yeast has been discontinued. Looking at Wyeast's website, it appears this is true. This was my favorite yeast for malt focused ales. I'm disappointed. Are there suggestions for other low attenuating and malty flavor focused yeasts from Wyeast or White Labs?
It would appear that WLP011 from White Labs is the same strain as WY1338.
Perhaps the Scottish Ale yeast?Ive used both in Scottish Ales and experienced similar results.


text:
Cotton Lucknowi Chikankari Saree (LCK4799)
Hand Embroidered by women artisans of Lucknow, Chikankari Sarees are popular among the Indian elite class. Each Saree is unique and individually crafted. Perfectly suited for special occasions, parties and festivals!
Blouse piece: Included. Material: Premium Quality Cotton Voile. Total length: 6.30 meters including Blouse piece.
At the time of listing, this product is available. If for some reason the product is sold out while you place an order, a full refund shall be processed for prepaid orders. Since these gorgeous sarees are completely handcrafted, getting another piece in the same pattern and color combination will not be possible.
Visit our Facebook Page for latest updates and customer testimonials.
Thank you so much !!!
You made my Mummy happy and she was so overwhelm that I just cant express in words.
The best ever service a best quality indeed !!!
- Pratik Jayshree Umanand Bagade
Beautiful collection.I like simple & elegant chanderi sarees.Artsy India is best place to buy
- Sarmistha Lali
Got my saree. Its beautiful and everybody who saw it loved it. Thank you for the care taken in sending and tracking it.
- Anne Davies
i am so happy to receive this saree when i reached mumbai today. it is so very fabulous. Cash on delivery is such good thing you did
- Jaimy Roy Vinod
thankz.... just now i received saree it is simple beautiful & light weight. well packed & very good service ... all can buy saree without any fear about the product..hatzz of to the weavers having such a wonderful saree...
- Lavanya Jain
Received the sari. its beautifull.. thank you so much.
- Vidya Iyer
My sister Yogeeta shop a black chanderi Saree from you, and I got the Saree here in Santiago, Chile..all the way from India.....very happy to c my lovely beautiful saree....thanks again and good luck for u
- Sangeeta Shokeen
Got d saree just now n lemme tell u its amazing, very pretty..looking forward to order sum more :-)
- Neha Sharma


text: The Knoxville Hospital and Clinics is offering sports physicals at area high schools this summer. Rather than paying the regular price of $25 to see a doctor at the hospital, athletes will be able to instead pay $15 with the proceeds going directly to their school. The physicals will be available at Knoxville High School this Wednesday from 3-6pm along with Twin Cedars High School August 2nd from 3-5pm and Pleasantville High School August 3rd from 3:30 until 5:30. Students from all area schools are welcome to take advantage of the opportunity. No appointments are necessary.


text:
What you need to know before you go
Taiwan may be a fairly small island, but it's packed with an incredible degree of diversity. It's one of the most densely populated areas in the world, yet has huge tracts of beautiful wilderness. At the same time as being a fantastic destination for fashion and shopping, it's just as popular for its hiking trails and outdoor pursuits.
The different cities and counties of Taiwan each have their own unique character and culture. Taipei is naturally the most lively and cosmopolitan, while Nantou has the most interesting history, Yilan has the friendliest people and Hsinchu is the most artistic. With the help of an ultra-modern public transportation system, getting from one of the island to the other is very easy and affordable, so you can enjoy all of these different destinations and more within a single trip.
Top destinations in TaiwanWhere will you go next?
Taipei boasts famous attractions, bustling nightlife, excellent restaurants and extensive shopping opportunities, as well as a heady mix of history and culture with modern and progressive thinking. It has something for almost any interest and every kind of traveler, whether you're on a budget or looking for luxury.
With a name that literally translates as "North of Taiwan", the city is the diplomatic, financial, governmental and cultural heart of the island. It's made up of 12 districts, ranging from ancient Wanhua to ultramodern Xinyi, where you'll find the marvel of design and engineering which was once the world's tallest building – Taipei 101. It's a city of many facets and is a place where you can discover a little more with every step, around every street corner and at every small roadside café.Read more
Hualien City


text:
Arroyo impressed with D-backs training staff
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Right-hander Bronson Arroyo, who signed a two-year contract with a club option for 2016, has not been with the D-backs for long, but he already likes what he sees as far as the team's attention to detail.
"Everyone thinks, from the outside looking in, that every ballclub -- that the training staff, the medical staff, everyone from the general manager to the manager are on the same page and a lot of times they're not," Arroyo said. "Everybody has their own ideas and sometimes those ideas conflict. Here it seems like they've done a really good job at making sure that everyone is working in the same direction."
The D-backs' training staff, under the direction of head athletic trainer Ken Crenshaw, has a reputation for being on the cutting edge when it comes to fitness, and that is something Arroyo noticed right off the bat.
"The medical staff is really on top of their game," Arroyo said. "I mean they've got so many techniques and they're bringing people in and out constantly for different massages and chiropractors and just different things that can help us. A lot of organizations haven't valued that over the years. It's starting to turn where everyone is now becoming that way, but I really see that it's nice and advanced here."


text: Oops! Sorry, something went wrong. Sorry, but the page you are looking for has not been found. Try checking the URL for errors, then hit the refresh button on your browser. New Car Offers Motability Offers Used Car Offers Business Offers Service Offers You could also try one of the following options: Return to the home page Use our site map If you still encounter problems then please contact us


text:
Thanks Carol!
Believe me, I complain every time he does that to you. It just gets ignored.
He's an ass and I'm tired of kissing his ass. Tired of the mods not doing shit while he bullied all the women off the board and ran off guys like wookie. Tired of his bullying shit and mods not doing anything about it. I got ran off every time i tried. His friends protected him and blamed us girls.
Wolf??? Any news on him?
thanks for the heads up. deleted
All these guys have Keenum as a failed Broncos QB before he even takes a snap . . .
I know who you were talking about. It was a great comment and i got a great chuckle out of it. lol
I agree with you Carol....the team as in players and staff love Kubes.... He needs to do something else if his health isn't right, but dang I got sick of reading different mean posts about him. He's a great person and will leave a big hole at Dove.
I know you did Carol. I was just bugging you
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Senior Member
be nice or leave, thanks
Pinch & Roll
On Injured Reserve
Tonka D
Consummate Bronco Fan
Philippians 4:13
The salt in your haterade


text:
Encouraging signs for Infante after rehab outing
CLEVELAND -- Omar Infante went 1-for-5 as the designated hitter for Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday night to begin his latest rehab assignment.
Infante had two popouts and a groundout in his first three at-bats against Triple-A Columbus starter and Indians prospect Trevor Bauer before getting to him for an infield single in the seventh inning. The fact that Infante could leg out the infield single is likely good news for his ankle, which he has said hurts mainly when he runs and turns the bases.
He struck out in the ninth inning on a foul tip.
The next step is for him to play about seven innings at second base on Wednesday.
What happens on Thursday will depend, in large part, on how Infante feels. When he was on his previous rehab assignment a couple of weeks ago, before aggravating his ankle, he wanted to get in three or four games to get his timing back at the plate. This time he isn't committing to that many games.
The Tigers have been in a wait-and-see mode on Infante for about a month while his sprained left ankle, an injury sustained on Colby Rasmus' takeout slide at second base on July 3 in Toronto, slowly recovers.


text:
year=2021&make=Hyundai&model=Accent&gvBodyStyle=Sedan& 0 auto-new /new-inventory/index.htm
NEW VEHICLE DISCLAIMER** Sale Price includes Guaranteed Factory Rebate in the form of Retail Bonus Cash, if applicable.
**Prices shown exclude Dealer added options, which can be added to any inventoried vehicles at any time, at the discretion of the Dealership.
**Prices shown exclude Dealer added options, which can be added to any inventoried vehicles at any time, at the discretion of the Dealership.
You may qualify for these additional savings:
** SAVE an extra with the HMF Bonus Cash Factory Rebate if you finance with us through Hyundai Motor Finance on approved credit.
** SAVE extra with the VOC (Valued Owner Coupon) Incentive: Customers must be the registered owner or currently living with an immediate family member who is the registered owner of a Hyundai vehicle distributed by HMA. VOC Incentive may not be combined with Conquest/Competitive Owner Incentive.
** SAVE extra with the Conquest/Competitive Owner Incentive: Customers must be the registered owner of a qualifying, eligible, competitive vehicle.
** SAVE an extra $500 with the Military Incentive for any new 2014 or 2015 Hyundai vehicle distributed by Hyundai Motor America. Customer (or spouse) must be Active Duty, Reservists/National Guard, Veteran with Honorable Discharge, or on Retired status in the US Military at the commencement of the program period. For this program, Active, Veteran, or Retired US Military are defined as customers serving or having served in the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, National Guard, or Reserves.
** ADDITIONAL savings may be available to certain groups or individuals. Please contact us to see if you apply. Customers may not qualify for some available rebates.
** Prices exclude state tax, license, document preparation fee, smog fee, and finance charges, if applicable. Prices expire at the end of business today.


text:
Sober Coach: Executive Drug Intervention
Sober Coach: Executive Drug Intervention
An intervention in the executive arena is often required when a crucial member of your team or an important business ally/associate no longer can contend with a drinking or drug problem. executive interventions are often successful if performed by a specialist in concert with a Sober Coach. Many times employers struggle with having to let go of vital members of their workforce because of drug addiction and alcoholism. Usually these employees have had numerous "second chances" and have promised to change, but find that they cannot overcome their addiction alone. Executive interventions can also be useful when initiated by the spouse or loved one of an addict, because these particular interventions take into specific consideration the needs of executive clients.
An executive intervention can begin in a number of ways:
- You may phone or email Sober Champion for a confidential consultation to discuss the specific nature of the substance abuse problem.
- When you make the call, prepare for the Sober Coach to ask some uncomfortable questions.
- If you must make the call to a Sober Coach from work, please do so using a line which cannot be picked up or interrupted "by mistake".
- If you want to call for information about a Sober Companion or a Sober Coach from another location, please find a relaxing environment and do not make your call while you are driving.
You may speak with a Sober Coach on your first call, and you might need to be redirected to one of our Sober Coaches who deals specifically with executive interventions. Sometimes, depending upon the nature of your case, we may refer you to another provider. If this happens, please understand it would only be due to their experience in the area.
In most cases, during the phone call our representative will arrange another call on which the executive intervention will be planned in more detail. Executive interventions do not have to involve the addict's boss, but his or her inclusion can be helpful. Your Sober Coach, working with the interventionist, is well-qualified to help you make that decision. Before the executive intervention takes place, plans will be made for the addict to seek treatment and then return to work, with the firm but gentle guidance of a Sober Companion.
For those who can afford one, a Sober Companion is an outstanding addition to any post-acute treatment program. The recovering person might not have developed a relationship in a 12-Step meeting, or the recovering person may have no interest at all in attending such meetings. In these cases, the steadying presence of an advocate for the individual can bring benefits beyond belief.
Alcoholism and addiction are diseases. Invariably, a person who suffers from them will get worse and not better. It is easy to pigeonhole a drug or alcohol user as "alcoholic" or "addict". Those in the field of treatment advise our potential clients that it is not always the case that every person who misuses or abuses drugs or alcohol is an addict, and the assistance available from a Sober Coach or Sober Companion can help define the problem, and help determine the most effective course of treatment.


text: Pizza Jardín Gluten free restaurant in Madrid 3.8 / 5 based on 1 customer reviews 100 % recommendations Duque De Sesto, 27 28009 Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Spain +34 915765069 http://www.pizzajardin.es Ambience Service Variety Meals Call Add to favourites Directions Share Mail Facebook Twitter Print Write a review About Pizza Jardín At Pizza Jardín, people with coeliac disease can enjoy pizza together with their friends. Different pizzas are available, many without gluten. You get your money's worth, whether you are gluten intolerant or not. If you suffer from gluten intolerance, it is advisable to order in advance. This means you'll get the pizza you want - tasty and 100% gluten-free. Safe and tasty enjoyment. Claim this place Flag as inappropriate Should not be on On the Go Does not offer glute free products Inappropriate content or spam Suggest an edit Translate 0 Photos and videos 1 Reviews Write a review Show comments


text:
Source: YouTube
author's description:
View on YouTube.
May 11, 2015
Free Market, privatization, tolls
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Name *
Email *
Support ongoing development of this website as a comprehensive knowledgebase of practical, voluntary alternatives to state-run monopolies that stifle human potential. There are many ways you can help ...
Pockets empty? That's okay. Help spread the love through social media or a link from your forum or website. Thank you!
© 2020 Who Will Build the Roads? — Powered by WordPress
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑


text:
5:39 am
September 19, 2009
Many religious people make the mistake of assuming that atheism is a one-way ticket to hell. The fact is that God cares very little about a person's religion or non-religion as revealed by some of the NDE accounts profiled on this website. The only thing that really matters is the spiritual condition of the heart. My experience has been that when an atheist tells me they don't believe in God, they really mean they don't believe in the Christian God or any God from any religion. From the NDE perspective, I can agree with this. Many atheists reject a spirit world for one reason or another and they generally do so because they have a strict scientific perspective of reality. Many scientific atheists devote their entire life studying the laws of nature and, to them, this may be their form of divine devotion whether they know it or not. In fact, because of this, I submit to you that a large percentage of such scientists are closer to spirituality than many religionists.
2:54 am
April 9, 2009
11:21 am
August 21, 2009
11:36 am
April 20, 2011
1:14 pm
August 21, 2009
8:10 pm
April 9, 2009
1:15 pm
April 20, 2011
6:14 pm
April 9, 2009
8:02 pm
April 20, 2011
1 Guest(s)


text:
Tom Coburn: The Year Washington Fled Reality
'Message discipline' can win elections but is not a healthy way to run a country.
The past year may go down not only as the least productive ever in Washington but as one of the worst for the republic.
In both the executive branch and Congress, Americans witnessed an unwinding of the country's founding principles and of their government's most basic responsibilities. The rule of law gave way to the rule of rulers. And the rule of reality—in which politicians are entitled to their own opinions but not their own facts, as Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan liked to say—gave way to some politicians' belief that...
To Read the Full Story


text:
Posts Tagged 'Increase Liability'
One of the great frustrations we at SERAPH have had in our work with securing school environments over the past 20 years is the obsession many school board members and school administrators have with security equipment such as cameras.
In this article we will set the record straight about security equipment; when is it useful and when it increases security problems?
After the Columbine massacre on April 20, 1999 the school spent an obscene amount of money on security equipment for the high school. Six months later a student walked through these systems with a loaded handgun. The school administrators didn't understand school safety before April 20th and they had learned little after it. Human beings must manage other human beings!


text:
With a homebase in the Arts District, it's damn near impossible for our friends at Poketo to miss the mark. The shop's merch is made for those Angelenos who favor MOCA's gift shop over the mall. And, with 2013 in full swing, it looks like owners Angie Myung and Ted Vadakan have hit the ground running with not one, but two must-catch happenings.
The first is a new collection inspired by customer recommendations — when the pair unleashed their premiere wallet designs, folks were receptive, but wanted something a bit more functional. The longer and more structured pouches with pockets for bills, cards, and coins, have just hit shelves. Naturally, they tapped some sick designers, including Yellena James and Cole Gerst, to trick out the trippy accessories. Since the price tag is ultra wallet-friendly ($38!), you better believe we'll be stocking up on the exhibit-worthy wares. (Peep them here, after the jump!)
And, if that wasn't enough reason to pop by Poketo, the boutique is also hosting an opening party and art show this Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. In celebration of It Rained All Day, an illustrated book crafted by Mel Kadel with tunes by Michael David Aho, a.k.a. ((SOUNDER)). Pick up a copy of the limited-edition tome, have it signed by Kadel himself, then feel free to sip on some Cerveza Indio while taking in a live performance from Aho.
The phrase "one for the money, two for the show" never felt so literal!
Photo: Courtesy of Poketo


text:
I have the URL attribute sending the following:
Code: Select all
The nagiosss is for the OnCall app. The problem that I am having is that when I click the notification and it prompts me to open the URL, it is only showing:
Code: Select all
cutting off the following from the rest of the URL.
. Just as a trial, I removed the ampersands (&) that are separating the querystring parameters so that I was sending
Code: Select all
Code: Select all
and when Nagios sent the alert it sent with the entire URL. It appears that the Prowl App is cutting off everything after the first querystring parameter.
I checked the forums and didn't see where I should be substituting the & for something else. I tried send using the html version of the & as & but is still cut everything off after the ....type=2.
Next I tried placing my URL into the description/notification portion of the Prowl alert so that a URL would be in the alert itself and when I received the alert the entire URL displayed correctly. I was able to click the URL and it opened OnCall without any problems. I just thought that maybe I was overlooking something with Prowl and though I can use this work around it would be nice to be able to open OnCall via the alert instead of having to open Prowl and then click my link to open Oncall.
Any suggestions and did I miss something.
Thanks in advance.


text:
Do you know someone who is currently applying for a mortgage loan and looking for the lowest mortgage rates? By forwarding this article, you will be doing them a huge favor! Finally a free daily report which offers complete transparency regarding mortgage rates by showing the actual market activity which influences the direction of mortgage rates. All Real Estate Professionals & Consumers are advised to stay informed about interest rates and learn THE TRUTH BEHIND MORTGAGE QUOTES to insure the best financial decisions are being made without the distraction of marketing gimmicks. Whether you're a newbee, market analyst (or somewhere in between), keep yourself informed of where mortgage interest rates are going (and why) by subscribing to this complimentary daily update.
The Mortgage Street Smarts of where mortgage interest rates are going (and why):
The following information is current as of Wednesday 8-1-2012 and will help you understand today's best mortgage rates. If you are a Buyer/Borrower who is still on the fence (or if you are a Real Estate Agent attempting to educate your "on the fence" Buyer), please review these trends and secure an historically low interest rate before it is too late.
The market closed Tuesday with an IMPROVEMENT to pricing (and will typically warrant a pricing adjustment by most Lenders). Tuesday's IMPROVEMENT resulted in a change of 3 basis points (bps).
(hint: upward activity is good, downward activity is bad)
The following chart shows market activity over the past 10 days (hint: green is good, red is bad):
The following chart shows market activity over the past 1 month:
Daily Interest Rate Snapshot (sample of rates from one of the country's largest Lenders...individual pricing will vary based on specific Borrower qualifications): NOTE: This Lender has quoted a 1.00% Origination Fee (1 Point) to accompany this pricing. It bears noting that this chart does not necessarily represent todays best mortgage rates.
Trusted Industry Advisor
The above information was compiled and distributed by San Diego Residential Mortgage Specialist, Jason E Gordon. As a Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist (CMPS) Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) and Certified Mortgage Coach (CMC), Jason E Gordon utilizes his advanced training to examine a prospective Client's complete financial picture, while carefully listening to their overall goals. If it is mutually agreed that a new loan makes sense to pursue, Jason strives to make the entire loan process as seamless as possible. He truly believes that providing open communication and patient educational guidance to his Clients and Business Alliances has been a pivotal component to building his business, while enhancing his reputation in the Mortgage Industry as a Trusted Advisor. Visit www.jasongordon.net or www.ApprovingSD.com or more information.
Would you like mortgage rate updates on your cell phone? Simply text the word UPDATES to 79564
Click here for daily mortgage interest rate updates and projections for San Diego's lowest mortgage rates
For more information on topics like this, please feel free to visit www.GordonMortgage.com (an educational resource for Borrowers, Real Estate Agents, and Financial Professionals). Educational content provided by:
Jason E. Gordon
Branch Manager | Sr. Mortgage Loan Officer
Office: 619-200-8031
Email: email@example.com
11440 W. Bernardo Court, Ste. 300, San Diego, CA 92127
What People Are Saying About Jason Gordon
Not all Mortgage Lenders are alike! Find out what Clients, Real Estate Agents and other Financial & Legal Professionals have to say about Jason Gordon.Attention Divorcing Homeowners, Homebuyers & Family Law Attorneys
Do you know the 4 "Puzzle Pieces of Divorce" and how they impact Divorcing Homeowners, Home Buyers, and Family Law Attorneys? Learn more belowRecommended Links:
To see if you qualify (and to obtain a current market interest rate quote), click here for a secure online loan application form.
Licensed by the Department of Corporations under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act.
AmeriFirst Financial Inc., 1550 E. McKellips Road, Suite 117, Mesa, AZ 85203 (NMLS #145368) Toll free phone (877) 276-1974. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. This is not an offer to enter into an agreement. Not all customers will qualify. Information, rates, and programs are subject to change without prior notice. All products are subject to credit and property approval. Not all products are available in all states or for all loan amounts. Other restrictions and limitations may apply. AmeriFirst Financial is required to disclose the following licensing information. Please click here for licensing information.


text:
- UFC on Fuel 7
Siver v Swanson co-main event for Wembley Arena
The UFC has announced Dennis Siver v Cub Swanson as the co-main event for the February 16 card in London.
Staged at London's Wembley Arena, the event is headlined by an interim bantamweight title showdown between Renan Barao and Michael McDonald.
Now the co-main event has been revealed, with the 145-pounders getting their own showcase as Siver and Swanson battle for title contention in the featherweight division.
Siver was magnificent in Seattle on Saturday, producing arguably the performance of his career to dominate Nam Phan in a lop-sided unanimous decision. He is still settling at the 145lb weight class and looking a real powerhouse.
Siver's recent record boasts six wins from his last seven fights, and he is 2-0 as a featherweight.
Swanson also rides a wave of momentum into the bout, having won his last three. Victims include Charles Oliveira and England's own Ross Pearson.
The winner of the February match-up can expect to move extremely close to a title shot against Jose Aldo in the 145 weight class.


text:
SEMI Standards Committees
SEMI brings together industry experts through a number of committees to develop globally accepted technical standards. These Standards Technical Committees provide the forum for the essential collaborations that must be achieved to move new and existing markets forward efficiently and profitably. Choose a committee below to learn more about activities including charter and scope where available in that area.
Committee Information
Committee Document Activity
Committee Meeting Activity
Collaboration Community
Join today! Complete and submit a SEMI Standards Membership Application Form


text:
- New Arrivals
- Advertised
- Clothing
- Collections
- Tops
- Jackets & Coats
- Knitwear
- Swimwear
- Pants & Shorts
- Denim
- Dresses & Skirts
- Nightwear
- Nightwear
- Shoes
- Accessories
- Plus Sizes
- Sale
Final Clearance
- Collections
- Tops
- Jackets & Coats
- Knitwear
- Shoes & Boots
- Accessories
- Pants & Shorts
- Denim
- Dresses & Skirts
- City Collections
- $19.99 Or Less
- $29.99 Or Less
- $39.99 Or Less
- $49.99 Or Less
- $69.99 Or Less
- $99.99 Or Less
- Shop by Brand
Why shop with us?
Join now and start getting rewarded for your loyalty.
We've made our reward scheme the most convenient ever! Each time you make a purchase we'll add it to your rewards total. And all we'll need to know is your phone number and email account - no need for plastic cards, messy stamps, or stacks of receipts.
When your accumulative purchases of full priced items* reach $300 (within a season) you will be rewarded with $25 off your next purchase. There are also exclusive prize draws, special offers and invitations to member only events.
To begin adding to your rewards total, sign up here.
Qualifying purchases exclude reduced items, promotional specials, gift vouchers and Bestbuys.
Terms and conditions are available instore or by visiting www.bfc.co.nz
Ballentynes Fashion Central is happy to refund or exchange any of your purchases if you are not satisfied with the product. You may return your item(s) to us in original condition within 30 days from when you received your goods.
Sorry, there are no products that match your search. ↺ Reset Filter
Receive your purchase now, spread the total cost over 6 weekly automatic payments. Interest free!
Look for the following button at checkout
- Simply select Pay by Laybuy at checkout
- Login or Register for Laybuy and complete your order in seconds
- Complete your purchase using an existing debit or credit card
- Pay over 6 weeks and receive your purchase now


text:
Visit health.state.tn.us.
At least five Tennessee physicians have been disciplined for having consensual sexual relationships with patients since mid-2005, state records show.
U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Jasper, isn't one of them, despite conducting such a relationship with a patient he met on the job. His record shows no history of patient complaints, and he's still a registered family practice physician whose license doesn't expire until 2014.
But even though it's at least a decade old, a phone transcript that revealed DesJarlais pressuring his former patient to abort a pregnancy could lead to disciplinary action.
"There is no statute of limitations on filing complaints against licensed health professionals," said Shelley Walker, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Department of Health.
Walker said "anyone who has information" on possible physician misconduct can file a report with the department's complaints division. Complaints that can be substantiated are passed on to the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners, which disciplines physicians and other health professionals.
The board never reveals the names of those who file complaints.
Scores of physicians are disciplined annually in Tennessee for violations, with most of them for substance abuse or overprescribing. Sexual misconduct violations are relatively rare, though the state examines cases only when a complaint has been filed.
"We investigate every complaint," Walker said.
If there was a complaint and the board determined that DesJarlais violated ethics, his initial punishment could range from probation to the suspension of his medical license, based on similar cases from the recent past.
An anti-abortion freshman legislator, DesJarlais often hypes his medical career -- his campaign signs simply say "Dr. Scott DesJarlais." He plans on returning to medicine after six terms in Congress.
In an interview Friday, DesJarlais said he exercised "poor judgment," but doesn't see the doctor-patient relationship as "a disqualifying issue" for a post-congressional career.
"I'm confident that a professional review would allow me to continue to practice medicine," he said.
It's unclear how much the flap might jeopardize a second term, but experts have said Democratic nominee and state Sen. Eric Stewart has a better chance of winning than before the transcript surfaced.
"He's given doctors a bad name," Stewart said.
On Friday, DesJarlais said the woman turned out not to be pregnant.
The state board follows an ethics code laid out by the American Medical Association. The code includes several lines discouraging sexual relationships with former and current patients.
DesJarlais reportedly had the recorded phone call with an unidentified woman he saw for a foot problem. In the transcript, both parties debate aspects of the relationship, but the sex and medical connection seem to be points of implicit agreement.
"Well, it's [your] fault for sleeping with your patient," the woman says.
"Oh, is that what it was," DesJarlais replies. "You didn't want to date me. You're going to try to pull that on me now."
Similar cases led to discipline.
In 2006, the state reprimanded a Clarksville, Tenn., internist after it was proven he conducted a 27-month sexual relationship with a woman for whom he was prescribing medications at the time of the relationship.
The physician's license was placed on probation for 27 months as the board assessed $6,750 in civil penalties. The state revoked the license after the physician didn't fulfill the board's directives.
Three years later, a Cookeville, Tenn., internist engaged in consensual sexual activity with a patient during office hours in an exam room. His license was suspended for 60 days, and the state briefly required the presence of a chaperone anytime he treated a female patient.
A third case similar to DesJarlais' involves a Morristown family practice physician who carried on a consensual relationship with a patient he met at work and later called his "girlfriend."
In August, the state fined him $1,500 and he was forced to take several classes, including one at Vanderbilt University Medical Center called "Maintaining Proper Boundaries."
Records show state investigators sometimes were unable to determine whether a doctor-patient relationship was consensual.
Staff writer Andy Sher contributed to this story.
Bill to add wilderness areas in Tennessee mired in politics
Previous Article


text:
Young journalists at the Charlotte Observer love their jobs. They value what papers do but find them often dull, out of touch and sluggish. They have passion for their craft but are positioning themselves for a future that may leave newspapers behind.
Carl Sessions Stepp
Carl Sessions Stepp (firstname.lastname@example.com) began writing for his hometown paper, the Marlboro Herald-Advocate in Bennettsville, South Carolina, in 1963, after his freshman year in high school. He studied journalism at the University of South Carolina, where he edited The Gamecock.
After college, he worked for the St. Petersburg Times and the Charlotte Observer before becoming the first national editor at USA Today in 1982. In 1983, he joined the University of Maryland journalism faculty full time.
In the ensuing 30 years, he also has served as senior editor and book reviewer for AJR, writing dozens of pieces. He has been a visiting writing and editing coach for news organizations in more than 30 states.
From his old-timer's perch after three years in newspaper design, 27-year-old Luke Trautwein barely hesitates when asked if he would advise young people to join today's newspapers.
"No," he says firmly. "I've been in the newspaper business for three years, and I've only seen the negatives. Papers being sold and bought, and sold and bought, and people not knowing if they would have a job. I don't know if there ever were the glory days, but I haven't seen them. It seems like I can see it ending, and you wouldn't want to tell people to get into that."
Would he himself do it again?
"I'd totally do it again," he exclaims. "I love it. Any job where you can ride your bike to work and come in and joke around and high five and wear what you want to wear, and they respect you for who you are, and they need you for who you are.
"The people are so different and you get them all together and work harmoniously--most of the time--to put out something good every day. That's very cool."
Caught in the obvious contradiction, Trautwein grins.
"It doesn't make sense," he concedes, "but I love what I do."
With one big exception, Trautwein typifies his generation of media consumers. He posts on his own Web site, contributes to YouTube, follows serious sites like MSNBC and irreverent ones like The Onion, and sees ink-on-paper newspapers as fading fast.
The big exception, of course, is that he works for a traditional newspaper, the Charlotte Observer. He makes his living producing exactly the content that people his age are abandoning and sometimes ridiculing.
Trautwein, like other young journalists I interviewed, find themselves torn by competing emotions. They love their jobs but fear newspapers are dinosaurs. They value what papers do but find them often dull, out of touch and sluggish. They respect older colleagues but are bewildered at things they don't know. They have lots of ideas but limited power. And they have passion for their craft but are positioning themselves for a future that may leave newspapers behind.
These themes all emerged during a visit to the Charlotte Observer, where I was a young journalist 30 years ago. The most striking impression in conversations with under-30 journalists (the Observer lists more than 40 among its newsroom staff of around 250) was the almost painful bipolarity between their love and hopes for newspapers and their anxiety and dismay about current directions.
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about this stuff," says Binyamin Appelbaum, 28, a business writer at the paper for almost three years. "You'd have to be crazy not to wonder whether this industry will be around to employ me for a long time."
Aggravating that uncertainty was last year's sale of Knight Ridder (which had owned the Observer since 1955) to McClatchy and the months of suspense preceding the deal. Reporter Emily S. Achenbaum, 28, says the period was "the first time I thought, 'Wow, I'm part of a dying industry.'"
"I came here to work for a company that doesn't exist anymore," transportation reporter Richard Rubin, 28, who joined the paper in 2001, told me in January. "I've got 39 years until Social Security checks start coming in. Is Social Security going to be there in 39 years? Will the newspaper industry be there in 39 years? I've started to think about it that way, and it is daunting."
For a new hire, "It would be hard to walk in here today and say, 'Aha, I've made it. I can be an employee here for the next 45 years.'"
Not long after our interview, Rubin left the Observer to cover tax policy for Congressional Quarterly.
Especially discouraging is the generational flight from newspapers by their peers. Daily readership for people aged 25 to 34 plunged from 77 percent in 1970 to 35 percent last year, according to Newspaper Association of America figures. A study last year by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found that just 22 percent of those under 30 had read a print newspaper the previous day.
"Out of all my friends, single or married, about my age, one of them gets the paper, and he only gets it on weekends," says reporter Deborah Hirsch, 24, who covers adjacent York County, South Carolina. "Everybody thinks it's cool to know a reporter, but when it comes to do they really care or are they reading on a daily basis, the answer is no."
While several still swear by ink-on-paper, most of those I interviewed prefer to read the paper online. Several admitted neglecting or not even subscribing to the paper version. "I subscribe," says clerk-reporter Emily Benton, 24, "but I'll be honest. They pile up outside my door on weekdays."
At 24, higher education reporter April Bethea knows she is fortunate to work at a paper of the Observer's standing. But she already is nervous about her future.
"You're writing things, and people aren't reading," Bethea says. "I'm vain. I want people to read what I write. I don't know if I will retire as a journalist, I guess because there have been so many changes at the paper in the last two years. I will never stop wanting to be a storyteller, but I feel I may get burned out by all the changes."
To reach the Observer newsroom, you take the same old escalator to the same fourth floor of the same downtown stone building as when I joined the paper as a 23-year-old copy editor in 1972. When I left after 10 years in various reporting and editing roles, the paper was robust. It won Pulitzer Prizes for public service in 1981 and 1988. The newsroom annexed space across the hall when the evening Charlotte News closed in 1985.
Charlotte is a boom town, in more ways than one. In the Observer lobby, a sign gives the time of the next scheduled explosion at a construction site across the street. The old Firestone car care center is being replaced by a 48-story office tower with accompanying museums and theater, joining dozens of skyscrapers, condos and commercial complexes that have turned the center city into a humming whirl both day and night.
Given such a vibrant market, the newspaper remains comparatively healthy, and its Web site (charlotte.com) is flourishing, with a million unique visitors a month, 20 percent of them local. Circulation is about 225,000, down from its peak of 246,000 in 1999 but significantly larger than in my days there. Still, the newsroom has lost about 10 positions in recent years, fewer than many other papers but enough to be noticed. The place feels simultaneously upbeat and jumpy.
As copy editor Adam Isaguirre talks about these conflicting realities, it's impossible not to remember my own Charlotte experience. Like me, Isaguirre, 26, came to the Observer as a young copy editor after studying journalism in college, participating in the Dow Jones editing program and enjoying internships at major dailies. But the newspaper world looks very different to him than it did to me at that stage of my career.
"I'm a news junkie. The passion would be there whether or not anyone was reading the paper," Isaguirre says. "But it is disheartening sometimes to look at the state of the industry.
"People my age look at things a little differently. There is not a lot of job security. We have grown up in an era where we have seen repeated cases of people who spend 15 or 20 or 25 years at a company and have the rug pulled out from under them. It's changed how we look at our careers. We have less of a strong connection with our companies than previous generations had."
Observer Editor Rick Thames, 52, readily acknowledges the agitation among young staffers. "They have a right to be impatient with us," he says. "Our industry is slow to change, and it still doesn't understand itself. There is so much off track that it must be frustrating to be in their shoes and wonder if we are ever going to see straight."
But he accents the positive. "I'm concerned that young people don't get the wrong idea about all the turmoil. Whether you work for a newspaper or Web site or something else, what we do is too important to the community to disappear. It won't. If you enjoy journalism, there will always be a place."
As I visit with the handful of veterans remaining from my days, we recall our own restlessness as headstrong young journalists. But one huge difference stands out, as noted by Jim Walser, 57, senior editor for recruiting and staff development. I helped lure Walser to the Observer in 1979, after we had competed as editors of rival college papers a decade before.
"In our day," Walser observes, "we knew we weren't going to be paid a lot or ever get rich. But at least we knew there was going to be a newspaper in the form we loved."
The older colleague who didn't know what IM means.
The editor who confused MySpace with YouTube.
The refusal to print the term "hoodie" ("hooded garment" was substituted).
The battle, eventually won, over writing "his big weenie was missing" in a lead about thieves stealing a hot dog restaurant's rooftop sign.
And the many times, as copy editor Isaguirre says tactfully, that "some online tool or function surprises someone and you get a little ping inside that says, 'I really wish they knew about this.' Because they need to know."
Young Observer journalists don't come across as bitter, but they do speak out, and they detect a lot of oldthink. They find the paper too often boring, too slow to change and too tied to middle-age tastes.
"The newspaper delivered to my door isn't that much different from the newspaper that was delivered to my parents' door when I was 5 years old," says reporter Deborah Hirsch.
Many think it is already too late to sell young people on ink-on-paper. "Habits are changed already for people my age," says designer Luke Trautwein.
Emily Achenbaum, based in nearby Union County, thinks newspapers will eventually become the kind of specialty mementoes "you get through a Vermont country store that tracks down old items." Belated attempts to lure the young through blogs and entertainment features are "doomed," she says. "They always feel like the not-cool kids trying to force the cool kids to be their friends."
Reporter Binyamin Appelbaum goes further. "We're so excited because we have discovered blogs and the ability to tell stories online with pictures. You want to know what my generation thinks? My generation laughs."
The young journalists admit to a narrow perspective, but everywhere they seem to encounter articles aimed at readers different from them: garden columns for people living in houses rather than apartments; abundant education coverage that leaves out single people without children; food topics geared to family meals; concentration on the symphony over pop and rock music.
"It's very rare to find a story that appeals to young people on 1A or a section front," says general assignment reporter Dànica Coto, 29. "You have to think as a young person and say how stories are going to affect them. It's not just saying the mayor announces a light rail project. You have to think: I see young people riding the trolley every day. How will this affect them? Will they be able to sleep later or get to different jobs or what? You don't have to do the whole story from their perspective, but you have to think about it."
Repeatedly, young staff members called for more surprise. "People my age tend to react to buzz," says Emily Benton. "Most single adults are not going to read a schools story as the second lead every day. Give them something that has a national reach, but also has a hip reach."
Leslie Wilkinson, 29, agrees. "We need to surprise people, take more risks, print some things that shock people out there on the front page," says Wilkinson, a design team leader and one of the Observer's youngest supervisors. "Do some things that make your parents or grandparents cluck."
Change would come faster, Wilkinson says, "if there was more autonomy or risk taking..if you spent the time worrying about, 'Are people going to like this?' as opposed to, 'Is my boss going to think it's a good idea?'"
Instead, she says, "we've got to have a meeting about a meeting about a meeting to get things done."
What would they recommend?
More "fire," says Appelbaum: "We're not smart enough and we're not funny enough. Stop taking yourself so seriously and produce something people enjoy."
More variation, says Benton: Produce different versions for subscribers, commuters and people in delis and bars, plus a Web site with more shared content, snazzier design and greater flexibility to customize the page.
More choice, says Hirsch: Let customers decide which sections they want delivered, or if they want the paper by podcast or adapted for handheld screens.
More urgency, says 27-year-old Alisha Hord, a former copy editor and designer who is now an online sports producer: "My parents waited for the paper at 6 a.m. If we want to know, we go online at 2 a.m. or 4 a.m. or 4 p.m. We're constantly connected. We want iPods, we want podcasting, we want slide shows, we want alternative story forms. My generation isn't going to sit down and read a 60-inch story every day."
And more flair, says Trautwein: "Be bold, baby. Go big."
At the same time, some worry about leaping from change to change. Stan Choe, 30, worked at the Observer from age 23 till 29, then joined the Associated Press in New York as a business writer. He remembers the paper fondly but felt concern about what he saw as an unsettled mission. "There was a new buzzword every month," Choe recalls. "We have to put more audio on the Web. We have to write shorter. We have to write more features. We have to put in what it means to you. You felt like we must not be achieving what we wanted if we were switching every month."
How can young journalists gain influence and implement their ideas?
A couple of years back, Trautwein and others organized a group of young staffers, calling themselves YO! for "young Observer" and hoping to lobby for change. But the effort fizzled after a few months. Now, he thinks, they need a renewed campaign to "make allies with people in the glass offices and show them your thinking works."
Copy editor Adam Isaguirre recently volunteered for a task force considering a new tabloid on city nightlife. "I'm pretty new at this," he says, "but one of my goals is to get more involved with some of the planning and new ventures. As a young person, you have to put yourself into a situation where you can have your voice heard. There is a fear of how things will shake out, but also a desire to be part of the solution."
Reporter Dànica Coto suggests convening monthly meetings where younger and older staff members brainstorm together. A big bonus, she says, is that such measures cost little. "I don't think it really requires money. We have the resources within each of us," she adds. "All you have to do is start talking and setting goals and making it happen."
April Bethea grew up in a home filled with newspapers. She remembers seeing her own name in Neighbors section stories about school honors. From her first journalism course as a high school freshman, she wanted to work for a paper.
She remains a reader, still influenced by her dad's love of newspapers. And she doesn't think the printed paper should be left for dead. "I want to be able to serve people like my dad who want the hard copy in front of them," Bethea says.
The Observer's youthful staffers may be younger, hipper and more plugged in than many colleagues, but they have a vestigial soft spot for print.
Binyamin Appelbaum, whose parents "once showed me a newspaper I put together when I was 3 years old," says that "my idea of a good Saturday is to work my way all the way through the paper."
Reporter Richard Rubin thinks the print version is better organized and gives a stronger sense of what is important than its immediacy-obsessed online cousin. He also resists stereotyping his generation as tuned out. "People my age consume a lot of news," he says.
But, like others, he is primed to switch to new formats. "I enjoy a complete paragraph just as much as the next guy," Rubin continues. "I love newspapers on paper, but if they are not economically viable anymore, the value of the news outweighs the value of the paper."
Rubin and others worry about whether newspapers, particularly in their business operations, are attracting innovative brainpower. "I don't have a sense of the talent pool on the business side," he says. "If you have a great idea for a Web site, are you going to start it through a newspaper or are you going to start it yourself?" It seems clear, Appelbaum concludes, that newspapers "are being run by people who are not on the cutting edge."
Self-preservation, then, leads to guardedness. "Most days I come to work and it is a lot of fun," Rubin said not long before his departure from the paper. "But you have to be aware of the rapid pace of change and know that the place you work and the job you do will probably be very different in the next five or 10 years."
To Deborah Hirsch, the print format isn't vital, but good journalism is. "It does matter that it is the Charlotte Observer. There is an expectation of quality that comes from representing a major metro newspaper, whether I'm in front of a camera or online or on paper."
As 23-year-old Neighbors reporter Kirsten Valle puts it: "If people are reading your stuff, I guess it doesn't matter what format they're reading it in."
"I would miss doing the headlines and other aspects that go with the print product," says Isaguirre. "These are some of my biggest opportunities to be creative. But I'm trying to build my skill set so I am never in the position of being unneeded or un-useful."
The Observer's morning news meeting chugs along, in a room like the ones where I presided as metro editor 25 years ago. Today, 13 people occupy the room. None is under 30. At the afternoon news meeting, three of 19 people are under 30.
Outside the meeting room, the Observer devotes about 14 journalists full time to the Web, with regular contributions from the paper's news staff of about 250. Managing Editor Cheryl Carpenter, 49, knows her young staff members would like to see even more energy flowing into the Web. But she is quick to show me a chart showing where the paper's advertising revenue comes from--far more from print than online.
It is another incongruity. She and Editor Rick Thames appreciate that they have to move toward the Web, but they also resist sudden reactions that would destabilize print.
They now hold weekly stand-up newsroom meetings to discuss these very matters. On a day I visited, they handed out awards for excellent reporting and writing, prodded for more aggressive posting to the Web and announced a new goal of reducing story lengths.
"They really want to hear what is going on," Thames says later of his young staff. "They are way beyond the 'trust me, I'll do what's good for you' generation. And I don't blame them.
"But I also remember what it's like to be young and impatient, and it's hard at that age to see the big picture. We have to learn from each other."
Young staff members seem to like and respect Thames and Carpenter, while worrying that the editors' power is limited by forces beyond their control.
"I've never really bought into the idea of hiring young people and putting them in charge, and then everything will be sexy and profitable," says Emily Achenbaum. "I like having a lot of experienced people in charge."
So the competing emotions abound--stability versus change, tradition versus innovation, fun versus frustration, the security of so-called normal work versus the turbulence of today's journalism.
Two of the youngest Observer staffers--Emily Benton and Deborah Hirsch, both 24--illustrate the point.
Since I visited the Observer, Benton has left for a job outside the newspaper business, editing for a weekly music marketing magazine, although she plans to continue a blog aimed at young readers. "The doom and gloom of working for a newspaper doesn't really make people want to stick around," she says.
Hirsch will keep fighting. "I knew I was coming into a 'dying industry' when I started this," she says. "But I don't think it's really dying. People will always need information. I will have a job. It may be different, but I will have a job.
"You just have to be flexible and optimistic in the face of all the things that really suck."