text:
Gov. Paul LePage set out an ambitious but familiar agenda during his first State of the State address on Tuesday, defending the achievements of his first year while pledging to tackle high energy costs, create more educational opportunities and continue government belt-tightening.
He also met his critics head on, particularly those who have opposed his proposed cuts to the state's Medicaid program, and said in order for Maine to succeed, "we must put politics and gridlock aside."
" My administration did not create this problem and did not invent it," LePage said of the state's Medicaid funding shortfall. "Many of you did not create this problem nor did you invent it … Regardless of who is responsible, we must fix it."
The governor spent the first part of his more than 45-minute speech talking about the accomplishments of his first 12 months. He touted charter school legislation, regulatory reform and fixes to the state's pension system.
He also spoke at length about the tax cuts that were included in his $6.1 billion biennial budget that passed last June.
"I'm pleased to report that in the last year, we have taken a right turn on the road to economic recovery," he said at the start of his speech. "In a bipartisan effort, we passed the largest tax cut in state history for hardworking Maine taxpayers."
LePage took credit for increasing funding for K-12 education by $63 million and for capping certain welfare benefits at five years. He also gave a shout out to Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner David Bernhardt for saving his department more than $100 million without sacrificing infrastructure improvements.
LePage said the biggest accomplishment, though, has been his administration's push to change the attitude in Augusta.
" We're changing the culture of state agencies from 'no' to 'can do,'" he said.
The governor moved from past accomplishment to current issues, most notably the DHHS budget proposal. He said the estimated $220 million shortfall was created by "overly generous welfare programs that we cannot afford."
He said his energy strategy will focus on all forms of energy but he reiterated his opposition to a citizens' initiative that would require 20 percent of Maine's energy to come from renewable sources by 2020.
The governor said hydropower is the key to lowering Maine's energy costs and he downplayed energy efficiency as a "bill of goods."
LePage moved from energy to education.
" We must reform education. We cannot afford to fall even further behind," he said. "Most international assessment of student performance place the United States at best as average. Average is not leadership. Average will not get us prosperity."
He said he soon would release reforms to improve teacher effectiveness. He also stressed the need to improve technical education in Maine.
From education, LePage shifted to the economy as a whole. He said that as governor, he cannot personally create private sector jobs. What he can do, he said, is make it easier to do business in Maine.
"Last year, we passed the largest tax cut in state history. But that is not enough," he said. "I will return to the Legislature with further proposals to reduce Maine's tax burden."
During the final part of his speech, the governor touched upon domestic violence, something he said was very personal to him. As a boy growing up in Lewiston, the governor escaped his own cycle of domestic violence.
"Those memories are not pleasant but I share my past to help end domestic abuse today," he said.
The governor recommended closing loopholes in the state's bail system and he acknowledged House Minority Leader Emily Cain of Orono for sponsoring a bill aimed at cracking down further on domestic violence.
In a light moment, LePage then turned to Cain and asked, "Is my tone all right?" — a reference to a challenge issued Monday by House and Senate Democrats for LePage to focus less on ideology and extreme policies.
" You're awesome," Cain replied, giving him two thumbs up.
LePage closed his speech by saying Maine is at a crossroads and the "road to economic recovery is a challenging one."
He then called on both parties to work together in the year ahead.
" It's time to roll up our sleeves, get to work and fight for the Maine people," LePage said.
At an event shortly before the State of the State, members of the Maine Can Do Better Coalition held a vigil outside the State House. The Rev. Jill Saxby of the Maine Council of Churches was among those who spoke, mostly about the governor's proposed supplemental budget for the Department of Health and Human Services.
" We're not just isolated boats adrift at sea; we are the tide and we are rising," Saxby said to a crowd of more than 100 who had gathered.
The postspeech reaction by Republicans and Democrats alike was largely positive.
House Speaker Robert Nutting, R-Oakland, said he was encouraged by the governor's speech.
" He provided a positive, clear vision for the direction our state needs to take," Nutting said. "Job growth, the reduction of energy costs and education reform should be common goals for legislators on both sides of the aisle."
Senate President Kevin Raye, R- Perry, called it an "excellent speech."
" I can't imagine anyone could criticize the tone," Raye said.
Senate Minority Leader Barry Hobbins, D-Saco, who was among the Democrats who called on the governor to strike a positive tone, agreed that the governor kept the partisan rhetoric to a minimum.
"But we haven't seen all the details of his policies and with all proposals, the devil is in the details," Hobbins said.
Cain said the governor's speech was "much more positive than we expected."
Members of both parties were particularly touched by the governor's emphasis on domestic violence awareness, a wholly nonpartisan issue.
University of Maine political scientist Mark Brewer watched the State of the State on television and agreed with others that LePage succeeded.
"I thought his tone was relatively forceful but not antagonistic," said Brewer. "I'm not sure if it was deliberate or not, but he's shown a tendency to have expectations set pretty low and he generally exceeds them.
"I thought this was a pretty effective speech."
FOR MORE, see the Bangor Daily News at bangordailynews.com.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Nation & World
Kansas man's obit criticizes those who won't wear masks
Nation & World
Walter E. Williams, free-market economist, anti-government commentator, dies at 84
Sports Digest: McKennie goal helps Juventus beat Torino
Local & State
Gov. Mills tests negative for COVID-19
Japan capsule carrying asteroid samples lands in Australia


text:
29 August, 2013 | (01 hr)
Sign In to access this Webcast
With new regulations on employment of people with disabilities, Federal contractors are rushing to ensure that they are prepared. Representatives of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' (OFCCP) and the National Organization on Disability (NOD) discuss the revisions to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and practical strategies to implement the required changes. Learn what the regulations mean for your company and how leading businesses are finding success in employing people with disabilities.
Patricia Shiu
Patricia A. Shiu serves as the Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs at the U.S. Department of Labor. She leads a staff of nearly 800 men and women around the country who are dedicated to protecting workers, promoting diversity and enforcing the law.
Debra Carr
Debra A. Carr serves as the Director of the Division of Policy, Planning and Program Development for the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs at the U.S. Department of Labor. She leads the Division and its branches of policy development, regulations development and program development.<...Full Bio
Carol Glazer
Carol Glazer joined the National Organization on Disability (NOD) in July 2006 as the Executive Director of its National EmployAbility Partnership. She became NOD's President in October, 2008. Under her leadership, NOD has developed important new relationships with the US Army, leading empl...Full Bio

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Statistical Computing Environments
Project Title
Statistical Computing Environments (SCEs)
Project Leads
|Art Collins
|Stephen Matteson
|Nigel Montgomery
Affected Stakeholders
Could include statisticians, clinical reviewers, nonclinical reviewers, software developers, SDO, etc.
Definition(s) of Problem/Issue/Challenge
This project came about because of a common set of challenges facing organizations across the industry around Statistical Computing Environments (SCEs). The group has four objectives:
- Discuss the current state of SCEs, identify common gaps and share best practices
- Define ideal case user requirements for an SCE
- Clarify expectations for an SCE within industry and regulatory agencies regarding implementation and compliance
- Explore SCE relationship to the Metadata Repository (MDR) and the Clinical Data Repository (CDR)
Upcoming Deliverables and Dates:
|EU_CS_WG_SCE_2016 SCE Stream at PhUSE European CS Working Group Meeting
|21 June, 2016
|Publish draft white paper with SCE use cases
|Dec, 2016
|Publish final white paper with SCE use cases
|Mar, 2017
State of the SCE White Paper
'The State of the SCE' published 29Apr2016.
Recommended Reading
Regulatory Guidance:
FDA, 21 CFR Part 11, Electronic Records; Electronic Signatures; Final Rule. Federal Register Vol. 62, No. 54, 13429, March 20, 1997
FDA, Guidance for Industry - Part 11, Electronic Records; Electronic Signatures - Scope and Application, August 2003
FDA, Guidance for Industry - Computerized Systems Used in Clinical Trials, April 1999
FDA, Guidance for Industry - Computerized Systems Used in Clinical Investigations, May 2007
Date/Time Stamped Files and Audit Trails: What Part 11 Compliant SAS® Systems are Made of, Carolyn Dougherty, ViroPharma Incorporated, Exton, PA, NESUG 16 Paper
BUILDING A CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PROGRAMMING ENVIRONMENT, Wayne Woo, Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics, Cambridge, MA, WUSS 13 Paper
Standards-based, Metadata-driven Statistical Computing Environments, Sue Dubman, September 28, 2010, PhUSE, Cambridge, MA
Hopkins, Duke, Dubman, "Statistical Computing Environments and the Practice of Statistics in the Biopharmaceutical Industry", Drug Information Journal, Vol. 44, 2010
Statistical Computing Environment Implementation – An Agile Approach, Gary Cozzolino, d-Wise Technologies, Morrisville, NC, PharmaSUG 2013 - Paper MS12
Building a Hosted Statistical Computing Environment: Is it Possible?, d-Wise
d-Wise's View of Clinical Data Repositories (CDRs) – 2013, Posted by Keith Ward on Aug 29, 2013
The Solution Landscape Part 3: SCE., Posted by Keith Ward on Oct 3, 2013
The Submission Data File System - Automating the Creation of CDISC SDTM and ADaM Datasets, Marcus Bloom, Amgen, David Edwards, Amgen, PhUSE 2006
MACUMBA: Modern SAS® GUI Debugging Made Easy, Michael Weiss, Bayer Pharma AG, SAS Global Forum 2013
Last revision by DanteDT,06/17/2016


text:
Receive a demonstration of the Polar Breeze rehab in action.
The most advanced, patented, internationally recognized thermal rehab machine. Currently used by DOD Hazmat and major Fire Departments. This machine is designed for outdoor use or for hot ventilated areas to quickly cool firefighters, industrial workers, athletes, and police to help pervent overheating. Currently this machine is being sold as a 'comfort device' in an air conditioner class that ihas been redesigned to cool the air 30-35 degree instantly right at the areas the body most needs. This machine is fully patented and is in the process of FDA approval as a medical device.
Ideal for cooling workers in enclosed suits.
Invented by an Emergency Room Physician/Anesthesiiologist. Created by Statim Technologies and Embraco, Division of Whirpool.
Brands: Polar Breeze® by Statim Technologies, LLC
FAQ | Request Information | Contact Us | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin
Copyright 2018, a2z, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
Hello again! Finally back to blogging! Since I had my second son, things have gotten a bit hectic. Most of my time is spent trying to keep up with my two little ones and in the spare moments that I have, I bake. I have had the best of intentions to share my baking adventures with you, but time has slipped by. Hopefully in the coming months, I will get back into the swing of things. I just made this Tapatio Succulent cake for a friend's surprise 40th birthday, and with Cinco de Mayo coming up, it seemed like the perfect time to share.
This cake was for a Mexican themed 40th birthday for our great friend, Brendan. A few weeks before the party I got a call from his wife and she told me that she wanted a Tapatio cake. Believe it or not, at the time, I had never even tried Tapatio, and it was completely off of my radar. I had been wanting to make a cake with edible succulents, and I thought with the Mexican theme, this would be the perfect opportunity. I just needed to come up with a design using both the bottle and the succulents.
I decided on a design using a terracotta pot full of succulents with the Tapatio bottle as the focal point.
Our friend's wife also mentioned that she would like to have his face on the Tapatio bottle. Luckily my husband is a Photoshop wiz, so he customized the label with our friends likeness and added the 40 anos where the true Tapatio bottle reads Salsa Picante.
I had envisioned a short terracotta pot with white decorations on it, and I felt like this was a detail I really wanted to make happen. I ended up using Wilton white color dust mixed with vodka painted on the fondant to get this effect.
I really love the sweet yellow cactus flower. It's just one of those tiny details that really livens up this cake.
I crushed about half of a bag of Oreo cookies (cream filling and all) in a food processor to create the "dirt"that fills the pot. I also crushed some Nilla wafers to create the light crumbs which remind me of Perlite and add a bit of highlighting to the planter.
I used Wilton flower forming cups as drying forms for all of the various gumpaste succulents.
I used Wilton purple color dust to accent the above dark green succulent.
Since the hen and chick succulent was my biggest plant, I needed to use a deeper container to hold it for drying. I ended up using a little custard dish, and put tiny pieces of paper towel between the leaves to keep them separated while drying. I started making the succulents for this cake about a week and a half in advance.
To create the Tapatio bottle, I struggled with quite a few attempts and failures. I finally landed on covering an actual Tapatio bottle in gumpaste and letting it dry overnight before removing it and filling with cake. To do this, I covered the bottle in plastic wrap and then sprayed it with non-stick spray so that the gumpaste would release easier. This method worked really well, but because there were two halves to the bottle, there were two seams. I filled in the seams with red crusting buttercream. To get the red color as close to the color of Tapatio as I could, I mixed Americolor super red and burgundy gel pastes.
This is the hollow bottle half. You can see that it is strong enough to support its own weight.
I filled the hollow gumpaste bottle with a similar bottle I made of cake. I used a biscuit cutter and some small round cutters to get the rough shape, and I used a knife to carve the tapered portion of the bottle. I could have filled the gumpaste bottle with rice krispy treats or even left it empty, but it's just so fun to bite into a cake bottle, right?
The cake itself is tapered toward the bottom. I frosted it in chocolate ganache for maximum stability.
Here is the cake covered in terracotta colored fondant. To get the terracotta color, I originally mixed brown and orange, but I wasn't happy with the color. I then tried Americolor copper and Americolor terracotta, but these weren't quite right. I eventually ended up running out to the store to get Wilton copper gel paste. This really was the perfect color, and I needed to get it just right so it would be believable. The rim is made of gum paste that I rolled, cut and left out overnight. Leaving it out helped to stiffen it up a bit so that it was easier to place on the cake.
This cactus is actually a Twinkie covered in moss green buttercream. I used a pastry comb to get the tiny ridges.
There is one wooden dowel going through the cake and bottle to keep the bottle propped up on an angle. There is also one stick of dry spaghetti in the center of the Twinkie to keep it vertical. Other than those two items, there are no wires or supports of any kind in this cake. It is all edible.
I used a thin layer of gumpaste as the backing for the edible label so that red would not show through the edible image. I used an actual Tapatio label as a template to get the size just right.
Here are the edible frosting sheet labels. I ordered these from a local cake supply shop that has a food printer. They come on a letter sized sheet, so I had four just in case anything went wrong.
Here's the birthday boy, right on the label. I used piping gel to attach the edible image to the gumpaste backer and to the cake.
Adding the Tapatio label and painting the designs on the pot were the finishing touches for this cake.
Working on such a realistic cake was a fun change for me. This would be a great cake for any Tapatio lover, Mexican themed party, or Cinco de Mayo celebration. I'm so happy that it turned out well, and Brendan ended up loving his surprise.


text:
Created for: The Sims 2
This Creation belongs to a Set - Click here to show the whole Set
This Creation has Requirements - Click here to show them
Hearts Valentines Hearts Pillow Stack Chair Purple. 4 Meshes Plus Recolors. Sims 2 by DOT of The Sims Resource.
Short URL: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/841402
ItemID: 841402
Please report any offensive comments so we can remove them. Use of bad language, unsuitable links or flaming may result in deletion of your account.
There hasn't been any comments yet, be the first to post one!
This Creation requires what's listed below in order to work properly.
Required Creations:
Mesh on TSR Required! Show the details of this Mesh
Note that those downloads are not required for the Creation to work!
Not a Member yet?
Click here to Register now


text:
As always this blog and all content on it belongs exclusively to me Gloria Poole, RN, artist of Missouri and I own all rights to it. I do not have a son, and I have only 2 grown daughters named Jennifer and Leigh who also have minor children of their own. You can see more of the art I created on these blogs of mine:
and other blogs of mine that I write on the #prolife cause and sometimes create art for, to illustrate my point.
Copyright notice 7 February 2015 at 12:36pm: This blog and all content, all words, all photos and all art on it were created and posted by me Gloria Poole , RN, artist of Missouri and Georgia. Usually I sign the art I create as simply Gloria since that is my first name I was born with; but on pencil drawings I often also sign my born with surname of Poole. I am also known on the web and in real life as Gloria Poole; Gloria J Poole; Gloria Poole, RN, artist; and on the web as : gloriapoole; gloria-poole; gloria.poole; Ms Gloria Poole; gloriapoole.RN; gloriapoole_RN; gloriapooleRN at yahoo; gloria0817; gpoole817; artist-gloriapoole; gloriapoole-paintings; artist-gloria; Poole,Gloria; gloriapoole1749; and other variations of my real, born with, and legal name of Gloria Poole. For the record, I am a white, twice divorced Christian woman and the mother of two grown daughters who are named Jennifer and Leigh. I am also a prolife activist, blogger, artist in all mediums; photographer for my own purposes, Registered Nurse with a license in Missouri but before that for most of my life in the state of Georgia, U.S. citizen born in the state of Georgia; University of Georgia alum, Georgia Baptist College of Nursing alum, writer, illustrator, author. This blog may not be downloaded, nor copied individually or collectively as a whole; nor have domains forwarded to it that do not belong to me, nor may the photos or art on it be reproduced or saved to disk by anyone . I create all content on this blog and I, Gloria Poole, own all rights to this blog collectively and individually as single posts. The telephones listed on this account belong to me and are in my apartment in Missouri or in my possession at all times. Some of my numbers are wired, landline telephones and some are mobile phones. This blog and all blogs that I create and that contain my words and or art and or photos that I create belong exclusively to me Gloria Poole, of Missouri and Georgia. Copyright. Gloria Poole /gloriapoole /gloria-poole /gloria.poole/ Ms Gloria Poole/ Poole Gloria at my own, private apt in Missouri which is not shared with anyone and neither is my equipment nor phones shared with anyone, and nether is my isp account shared with anyone. Gloria Poole, RN, artist; at my apt in Missouri on 24 March 2015 at 3:42pm.


text:
Last week I made a quick trip to my LQS to pick up my Pfaff 1475 with its brand new motherboard. Ouch on that. The machine is probably nearing 20 years old and it's been packed up in the original box for about five years. When I took it out a few weeks back hoping to use it when my Bernina needed repairs, the Pfaff was DoA on the sewing table. It was NOT a great week to try to sew anything! 😦
Despite being essentially a backup machine these days, I decided I should go ahead and repair it now since it's a really wonderful machine (one of the older Pfaff machines that was made in Germany before Husqvarna Viking bought Pfaff out and moved production to cheaper areas), and if I didn't have it repaired now it wasn't likely to get done at all as the parts for it are no longer manufactured. And who knows? One of my girls might eventually decide to sew and need a machine… maybe… okay I'm reaching here I know!
While I was at the LQS, I did the mad dash through the fabric in hopes to pick up some more of that yummy Kate Spain fabric that I ran short on, and maybe a couple of bluesy aquas to go with it. Continue reading "Sunday Stash and InchieSee Playtime"


text:
Palestinian Jibril Rajoub (left) and Israeli Ofer Eini shaking hands Friday at FIFA's congress in Zuirch.
The Palestine Football Association and its president, Jibril al-Rajoub, have come under criticism following the PFA's last minute decision to drop a motion to suspend Israel from football's international governing body at the annual FIFA congress in Zurich this week.
Prior to the vote in Zurich, the PFA's campaign to "Red Card Israeli Racism" had gained traction at home, abroad, and online, with one petition circulating social media gaining tens of signatures within only 48 hours.
The PFA's last minute decision to table a motion to have Israel suspended from FIFA, drew widespread criticism, and prompted an online counter-petition titled "Red Card Jabril Rajoub." The petition's creators accuse Rajoub, a senior Fatah and PA official, of retracting the motion unilaterally and without transparency.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) was among the most vocal critics of the PFA's decision to drop a bid to have the Israel's Football Association suspended from FIFA.
The PFLP charged yesterday that the PFA's decision was an, "outrageous deviation from our values, principles and efforts to expose the Israeli occupation's crimes and to oust Israel from international organizations," the leftist group issued in a statement Saturday.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one retired Palestinian politician speculated to the Palestine Monitor that, "it's not fair [of the PFA] to raise the expectations of the public. People were hoping and left with the impression the the PFA was taking on the fight. It's unfortunate that not only we did not win, but we did not even fight." He went on to speculate that Rajoub's, "credibility was hurt in the outcome of this failed bid."
Following the failure of the PFA's bid to got to vote, Israel's Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu congratulated the efforts of international parties and the president of Israel's Football Association who worked in order table the Palestinian bid.
"This Palestinian provocation joins the unilateral steps that the Palestinians are taking at other international institutions, Netanyahu charged. "So long as they take these steps they will only push peace further away instead of bringing it closer," he added.
PFA President Rajoub told FIFA members he would drop the bid to have Israel suspended moments before congress were due to vote on the motion. "I decided to drop the suspension but it does not mean that I give up the resistance," Rajoub said. "A lot of colleagues who I respect and I appreciate explained to me how it is painful for them to hear in this family about the issue of suspension."
Two-hundred and nine FIFA members voted instead to create a "multi-lateral monitoring] group to work directly under the rules of the FIFA Ethics, Legal, and Discrimination committees, and will be composed of International Observers," to oversee and monitor any future Israeli infringements on the PFA.
Activist Wisam Abul-Haijaa wrote on Facebook of the dropped bid,"We have to tell the Palestinians frankly that Al-Rajoub's step was a blow to all the popular efforts made to isolate Israeli occupation," Days of Palestine reported.
Back to Top


text:
For X5000 yes. For the X1000 it is another matter.Spectre660 wrote:For the X5000 not worth the effort.
The Kernel and .dtb file can be stored on the micro SDcard.
Guess that I am the only person using the newer kernels than have to be booted this way on the Sam460ex though.
Are they loaded in the usual way?


text:
The maker of d-Con, the rodent poison sold at hardware and home improvement retailers, announced Friday it would pull the most toxic poisons from store shelves across the country, another sign that California's laws against harmful chemicals are shaping new national environmental standards.
United Kingdom-based Reckitt Benckiser, a consumer products company that makes d-Con, a common poison to kill mice and rats, inked an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that bans the sale of 12 d-Con brand products nationwide. The cancellation of some popular d-Con products ends a protracted battle between the EPA and Reckitt Benckiser, which environmental regulators say violated federal safety regulations to sell the rodenticide to more consumers.
The national ban comes on the heels of California's ban, announced in March, on the sale of highly toxic rat poisons, pointing, some say, to the influence the state has on national chemical regulations.
"It's really interesting, the timing," said Charlotte Fadipe, spokeswoman for the state Department of Pesticide Regulation. "We believe that the actions in California were significant to what is happening nationally."
The state pesticide department banned highly toxic d-Con and products from 16 other manufacturers that contain toxins blamed for killing at least 300 animals, including endangered species, in the past two decades. Rats and mice eat the pesticides, and predators such as foxes and hawks ingest the poison when they eat the rodents. Reckitt Benckiser responded with a lawsuit, filed March 28 in San Diego County Superior Court, but this month a judge gave state officials the green light to begin pulling d-Con from stores by July 1.
Other d-Con products that contain a less toxic form of the poison and are commonly used by homeowners are not affected by the bans.
Earthjustice, a San Francisco-based environmental advocacy group, said the state's leadership on rodenticides helped compel Reckitt Benckiser to back down on the d-Con battle.
"They're looking at their products coming off the shelves July 1 in California," said Earthjustice attorney Greg Loarie. "They're looking at a very long and very expensive battle with the EPA. They have problems on the federal front, They have problems on the state front."
The 12 d-Con products violated safety standards intended to protect children and animals from the rodent poison, according to a news release from the EPA. The company has agreed to stop production by the end of the year and stop distribution to retailers by the end of March 2015, and will replace the rodenticide with a less toxic form that has been approved by the EPA.
"Those rodent control products will be replaced with a new line of rodenticide baits that have been registered with the U.S. EPA and are approved for consumer use in every state, including California," said d-Con spokesman Tony Brand.
California, however, is still requiring that stores remove the more toxic rodent poisons by July 1.
"It's coming off our shelves by July anyway, and as usual, California is way ahead," Fadipe said.
Contact Heather Somerville at 510-208-6413. Follow her at Twitter.com/heathersomervil.


text:
Chumphon, ThailandKirsty Turner
Blessed with warm welcomes, good food and pretty palm groves, Chumphon is one of Thailand's southern provinces and features more than 200 kilometres of seashore, picturesque beaches, nearby islands, sparkling waterfalls and caves to explore. This province is ideal for those who seek relaxation amongst beauty away from the tourist and backpacker scene.
A big attraction in the area is Hat Tha Wua Laen, which is a good place for windsurfing and kiteboarding, whilst the beach of Hat Sai Ri is a good place to arrange day trips to the surrounding islands.
A big attraction in the area is Hat Tha Wua Laen, which is a good place for windsurfing and kiteboarding, whilst the beach of Hat Sai Ri is a good place to arrange day trips to the surrounding islands.
There are a large number of enchanting tropical islands just waiting to be explored in this amazing province. Many people hire a boat and take a tour of several islands all in one day, combining the trip with snorkelling in the crystal clear waters and sunbathing on the beach. Some great islands to explore include Koh Phithak, Koh Ngam Yai and Koh Ngam Noi, the limestone island of Koh Thalu, Koh Mattra and Koh Chorakhe, which means Crocodile Island in the Thai language.
There are some spectacularly beautiful national parks in the area, including the Mu Ko Chumphon National Park and Khlong Phrao National Park. Most of the tiny islands feature waterfalls nestled in the jungles, which are extremely beautiful and great for swimming in. Look out for Namtok Heo Lom, Namtok Thap Chang, and the incredible Namtok Kapo Forest Park.
Caving enthusiasts will not be disappointed as there are a large number of interesting caves to explore including Tham Thip Prida, Tham Thong and the Tham Khao Phlu Wildlife Conservation Area. Visitors can also combining the caving experience with relaxation at the Tham Khao Plu Hot Spring, which actually contains three hot springs of various temperatures all with a lush jungle backdrop to enjoy while you soak and receive the healing benefits of the natural mineral waters.
The mountain of Khao Chao Mueang provides spectacular views over the area, while the adventurous can take a trip to explore the pretty winding canal network with Phato Canal Rafting.
Although generally quite peaceful, the area comes alive in April to celebrate the Chumphon Marine Festival. The main focus of the festival is the Windsurfing Competition, which takes place at Hat Tha Wua Laen. There is also a marathon and exhibits of folk art, dancing and beach barbecues.
Also worth looking out for is the Lang Suan Buddha Image Parade and Boat Race Festival. The festival features a procession of temple boats and a boat race on Mae Nam Lang Suan, which is situated 60 kilometres to the south of Chumphon.


text:
Maddon speaks out on elbow injuries
You could piece together a pretty good pitching staff with just the players who have had significant elbow problems this year.
Starting rotation: Kris Medlen, Brandon Beachy, Patrick Corbin, Jarrod Parker, Matt Moore.
Bullpen: Bobby Parnell, David Hernandez, Bruce Rondon, Luke Hochevar, Cory Gearrin.
The list doesn't even include New York Mets star Matt Harvey, who is still recovering from elbow surgery last October.
Is there a reason so many pitchers seem vulnerable to elbow injuries right now? Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon has a theory.
"Sometimes you have to look underneath the surface and I tend to agree it has a lot to do with youth sports and travel teams and multiple travel teams and kids pitching to win when they're really young and throwing too many pitches," Maddon said. "I think the more recent epidemic curiously might be tied to what they're doing before they even get here professionally."
Maddon and the Rays are hoping for the best after Moore went on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. If that's all the time the left-hander misses, the Rays should consider themselves fortunate.
It was not immediately clear if he would need surgery, but Tampa Bay fans are obviously bracing for the possibility.
Here are five things to watch around the majors this week.
MARQUEE MATCHUP: Texas sends Yu Darvish to the mound Wednesday night against Seattle's Felix Hernandez in an early duel between AL West aces. Darvish and Hernandez have combined to strike out 45 with only four walks so far this season. Darvish has not allowed a run in 15 innings.
OFF AND RUNNING: The Milwaukee Brewers have won nine in a row, and although it's far too early to proclaim them NL Central favorites, they'll have a chance to open up a nice lead if they can keep this streak going. Second-place St. Louis visits Milwaukee for a three-game series that starts Monday, and the Brewers are already three games ahead of the Cardinals. Carlos Gomez, Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez are swinging the bats well for the Brewers.
CASHING IN: San Diego right-hander Andrew Cashner was once known for throwing 100 mph, but the tall Texan now favors movement over velocity, particularly with his sinker. After striking out 11 in a one-hitter against Detroit on Friday, Cashner takes the mound again Wednesday night against Colorado.
DIVISION RIVALS: Detroit edged Cleveland by one game to win the AL Central last year, with the Indians settling for a wild card. The Tigers took the division on the strength of a 15-4 head-to-head record against the Indians. The teams meet this week for the first time in 2014, when Detroit hosts a three-game series starting Tuesday.
SLUGGING SOX: The Chicago White Sox have scored 80 runs in their first 13 games, with Cuban newcomer Jose Abreu boosting a lineup that already included Adam Dunn and Alexei Ramirez. Star left-hander Chris Sale has already received 15 runs of support this year. He received 76 runs in 30 starts last season, when he posted a 3.07 ERA but went only 11-14.
STAT OF THE WEEK: Kansas City went without a home run in its first seven games before Alex Gordon finally went deep Wednesday. Does this tell us anything about how the Royals will fare the rest of the way?
Well, in 2013, there were eight teams that went at least seven games without a homer at some point during the season, according to STATS. The bad news for Kansas City? Only one of those teams — the St. Louis Cardinals — made the postseason.
Gordon's homer is still the only one of the year for the Royals.


text:
Contact Us | Dealer Login | Download Images
Board & Batten's heavy-duty construction and easy-care features require minimal upkeep. Each panel is solid colour throughout, so it won't chip, flake and blister like painted surfaces. And unlike wood, it won't rot and warp due to moisture.
Simple Upkeep
Board & Batten will dramatically reduce your exterior maintenance because it never needs to be painted. Just rinse occasionally with a garden hose to remove most airborne dust and dirt and restore your siding's like-new beauty.
Investing in Your Home
Board & Batten not only will create an enjoyable, worry-free exterior, but will heighten your home's curb appeal as well. And in today's market, a beautiful, low-maintenance finish can greatly enhance the value of your home.
Easy Colour-Match System
Our Colour Clear Through® system makes it easy to find the perfect colour match for your exterior design. This special collection of colours ensures that all Gentek products - siding, soffit, fascia, trim, and rainware - will beautifully match throughout our vinyl, aluminum and steel product lines.
Gentek siding is backed by a Lifetime Limited, Non-Prorated, Transferrable Warranty with hail protection and lifetime fade coverage.
Please see printed warranty for more details.
Not all products available in all areas. Please contact local Gentek distributor for product availability.
Colours will vary based on user's screen settings. We recommend that you make final colour selections using actual product samples.


text:
PHOTOGRAPHER should
- be imaginative, with a good eye for a picture.
- have outstanding technical and photographic skills.
- have good communication and people skills.
- have good IT skills, mainly with computer programs such as Photoshop.
- be commercially considerate and good at marketing themselves.
- GENERAL PRACTICE – the most familiar type of work and includes family portraits, school groups and weddings.
- ADVERTISING – working on commission from advertising agencies, magazines and design groups.
- FASHION – can be studio based or on location, possibly abroad.
- EDITORIAL – involves taking pictures to illustrate articles, often in magazines.
- NEWSPAPER – working for any local or national press.
- MEDICAL – involves recording operations, experiments and postmortems for teaching and scientific purposes, often using expert equipment.
- SIGNTIFIC AND TECHNICAL – involves taking pictures for government departments and research institutes, often using cameras that allow for intense close-ups or high speed photography.
- INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL – involves recording industrial processes, machinery and buildings for research purposes or corporate literature.
- POLICE/FORENSIC – photographers record scenes of crime or traffic accidents for investigative purposes, and may supply pictures to the press.
- Adjust apertures,shutterspeeds and camera focus based on a combination of factors such as lighting ,field depth,subject motion,film type and film speed.
- Create artificial light using flashes and reflectors.
- Determine desires images and picture composition and select and adjust subjects ,equipments and lightning to achieve desired effects.
- Develop and print exposed film,using chemicals,touchup tools and developing and printing equipments or send film to photofinishing laboratories for processing.
- Enhance , retouch,and resize photographs and negatives,using airbrushing and other techniques.
- Estimate or measure light levels,distances and numbers of exposure needed using measuring devices and formulas.
- Load and unload film.
- Photograph subject material to illustrate or record scientific/medical data or phenomena using knowledge of scientific procedure and photographic technology and techniques.
- Review sets of photographs to select the best work.
- Select and assemble equipment and required background properties, according to subjects, materiale, și condiții.
- Take pictures of individuals,families and small groups either in studio or on location.
- Test equipment prior to use to ensure that it is in good working order
- Consult with clients or advertising staff, and study assignments to determine project goals, locații, and equipment needs.
- Direct activities of workers who are setting up photographic equipment.
- Engage in research to develop new photographic procedures and materials.
- Manipulate and enhance scanned or digital images to create desired effects, using computers and specialized software.
- montură, frame, laminate, and/or lacquer finished photographs.
- Perform maintenance tasks necessary to keep equipment working properly.
- Produce computer-readable, digital images from film, using flatbed scanners and photofinishing laboratories.
- Scan photographs into computers for editing, depozitare, and electronic transmission.
- Set up, montură, or install photographic equipment and cameras.
Develop visual aids and charts for use in lectures or to present evidence in court.


text:
NERVOCHAOS To Release 'To The Death' In January
Brazilian death metallers NERVOCHAOS will release their new album, "To The Death", on January 22 via Greyhaze Records.
According to a press release, "To The Death" is "nothing short of a relentless onslaught and features guest performances by big names in the international and South American metal scenes such as Ralph Santolla (DEATH, DEICIDE), Jão (RATOS DE PORÃO) and Zhema (VULCANO)." The album's cover art was created by Joe Petagno (MOTÖRHEAD).
The first pressing of "To The Death" will include a limited-edition NERVOCHAOS embroidered patch as well as a sticker.
"To The Death" track listing:
01. Mark Of The Beast
02. Sheep Amongst Wolves
03. Your World's Trend
04. Gospel Of Judas
05. The Exile
06. To The Death
07. Hate
08. Smoking Mortal Remains
09. Mind Under Siege
10. Delusions And Lies
11. Destroyer Of Worlds
12. Warlords Unbound
13. Wolves Curse


text:
Posts Tagged 'reaper'
"I Watch STAR World, Get Me Out Of Here", Scream Millions of Frustrated Indians
Posted August 11, 2009on:
- In: Current Events | Dissatisfaction | Global | India | Satirical | Technology | Telecom | Uncategorized
- 1 Comment
Early today, Rupert Murdoch, owner of the STAR Television Network, officially announced that they have run out of any and all original programming for broadcast on their English language channel, STAR World.
With viewers clamoring "I watch STAR World, get me out of here!", the broadcasting giant's management find themselves looking at the graying anatomy of their line-up.
The network's current choice of sad and revolting reality-based shows have left audiences asking if the people at STAR really were smarter than a fifth grader?
While the broadcaster still maintains that their programming line up aims to be bold and beautiful, the viewing public thinks otherwise. "What lame asshole would choose to play reruns of Friends over and over and over again for years on end?!" screamed one frustrated mother of three. A 12 year old we interviewed wanted to know if "Karan Johar really is a closet faggot?"
With STAR TV refusing to act on the feedback of millions of viewers, one is left wondering whose line it is, anyway?
Is Karan Johar indeed a closet homosexual?
Official Bold & Beautiful website


text:
Services on Demand
Related links
- Cited by Google
- Similars in Google
SA Journal of Industrial Psychology
On-line version ISSN 2071-0763
Print version ISSN 0258-5200
SA j. ind. Psychol. vol.37 n.1 Johannesburg Jan. 2011
Coping and work engagement in selected South African organisations
Sebastiaan RothmannI; Lene I. JorgensenII; Carin HillIII
IOptentia Research Programme, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark Campus, South Africa
IIWorkWell, Research Unit for Economic and Management Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa
IIIDepartment of Industrial Psychology and People Management Industrial Psychology, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
ORIENTATION: The coping strategies of their employees are amongst the activities that organisations should address to improve their employees' work engagement.
RESEARCH PURPOSE:The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between coping strategies and work engagement in three occupational groups in South Africa.
MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY: There is little understanding of the relationship between effective forms of coping and positive outcomes (like work engagement).
RESEARCH DESIGN, APPROACH AND METHOD: The researchers used a survey design. They drew random and stratified samples (N = 3178) from three occupational groups. These were technical employees in an electricity provider, professional and enrolled nurses and police officers. They administered the Coping Orientations to the Problems Experienced (COPE) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES).
MAIN FINDINGS: The results showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between work engagement, problem-focused coping, positive reinterpretation and growth. In the nursing sample, high problem-focused coping, low avoidance and low ventilation of emotions predicted work engagement best. In the police sample, four coping strategies (problem-focused coping, seeking social support, turning to religion and low ventilation of emotions) predicted work engagement best. In the technician sample, problem-focused coping and low ventilation of emotions predicted work engagement best.
PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: Organisations should consider employees' coping strategies when they introduce interventions to improve work engagement.
CONTRIBUTION/VALUE-ADD: This study contributes to the knowledge about the relationship between coping strategies and work engagement in South African organisations.
The subjective well-being of employees is essential for them to survive and prosper in a continuously changing environment (Harter, Schmidt & Keyes, 2002).
According to Lyubomirsky, Sheldon and Schkade (2005), three sets of factors affect a person's level of subjective well-being. These are a genetically determined set point, circumstantial factors and intentional activities and practices (Lyubomirsky et al., 2005). Lyubomirsky (2008) points out that the set point explains 50% of the variance in subjective well-being, whilst circumstances and intentional activities explain 10% and 40% respectively. Although interventions to promote subjective well-being should focus on the workplace, the intentional activities of a person explain a relatively large percentage of the variance in subjective well-being.
Peterson, Park and Seligman (2005) distinguished between three orientations to subjective wellbeing: pleasure, engagement and meaning. Engagement and meaning, as routes to subjective well-being, are under the direct control of the person and result in higher levels of subjective well-being (Park, Peterson & Ruch, 2009).
Engagement is a psychological state of involvement, commitment and attachment to a work role (Macey & Schneider, 2008). Engaging in activities (like a work role) results in fulfilment and contributes to subjective well-being (Peterson et al., 2005). Engaged employees are also more likely to have good relationships with their employers and lead them to have positive attitudes, intentions and behaviours (Saks, 2006). Work engagement predicts job performance and client satisfaction (Bakker, Schaufeli, Leiter & Taris, 2008). Therefore, work engagement and how to increase it are important research topics (Rothmann & Rothmann, 2010). Intentional activities (including the use of constructive coping strategies) offer opportunities for sustainably increasing engagement and subjective well-being (Lyubomirsky et al., 2005).
Coping is a relevant concept in the study of subjective wellbeing for two reasons.
Firstly, occupational stress impedes happiness at work. Work engagement is an important component of happiness. Therefore, one way to increase work engagement is to reduce the stress levels of employees (Schiffrin & Nelson, 2010). Coping strategies play an important role in dealing with occupational stress. Consequently, people's coping strategies for dealing with occupational stress might affect their work engagement. Indeed, in the work engagement model of Kahn (1990), psychological availability (which results from dealing effectively with stress) has been found to be a strong antecedent of work engagement (May, Gilson & Harter, 2004; Olivier & Rothmann, 2007).
Secondly, the field of coping is broadening its scope towards positive striving emotions, goals and searching for meaning (Schwarzer & Taubert, 2002). According to Schaufeli and Bakker (2004), research has shown that, even when exposed to high job demands and working long hours, some people show no symptoms of disengagement. Instead, they seem to find pleasure in dealing with these stressors - presumably because they have effective coping strategies.
The relationship between coping and positive outcomes (like work engagement) is not well understood (Folkman & Moskowitz, 2004). We need research to expand the body of research - specifically into the relationship between coping strategies and positive outcomes (Schwarzer & Taubert, 2002). We also need research to develop a deeper understanding of how different coping strategies relate to work engagement.
The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between coping strategies and work engagement in three occupational groups in South Africa.
Coping has been conceived in several ways (Livneh, Antonak & Gerhardt, 2000):
as a personality trait and a situationally-determined response
as a dynamic process and a static construct
as a strategy that is mature, adaptive and flexible but also as a reaction that is neurotic, maladaptive and rigid
as a global, generally dichotomous concept, but also as an intricate, hierarchically structured, multi-levelled concept.
According to Cooper, Dewe and O'Driscoll (2001), one should locate the definition of coping in transactional theory. Transactional theory sees coping as 'the thoughts and actions that are initiated in response to a specific encounter' (Cooper et al., 2001, p. 160). In line with transactional theory, Lazarus and Folkman (1984) define coping as the efforts, both behavioural and cognitive, that people invest in order to deal with (to master, reduce and/or tolerate) stressful encounters. According to Carver and Scheier (1996), dealing with stress comprises three processes: primary appraisal, secondary appraisal and coping. Primary appraisal is the process of perceiving threats to the self. Secondary appraisal refers to the perceived availability of coping resources to deal with stressful encounters. Primary and secondary appraisals initiate coping behaviours.
Folkman and Lazarus (1980) suggest two general types of coping. The first is problem-focused coping. People find ways of reducing stress at its source by trying to prevent whatever is posing the threat from occurring. The second is emotionfocused coping. People feel that they must somehow tolerate the source of the stress and they try to manage or reduce the emotional discomfort associated with the situation. Emotionfocused coping emphasises interpreting a situation or how the person attends to it. Carver et al. (1989) propose a third style of coping: avoidant coping, which they integrated in a self-regulatory model of stress and coping (Carver & Scheier, 1996).
The literature on coping often makes another distinction between active and avoidant coping strategies. Active coping strategies are either behavioural or psychological responses designed to change the nature of the stressors themselves or how one thinks about them. Avoidant coping strategies lead people into activities (like alcohol use) or mental states (like withdrawal) that keep them from addressing stressful events directly. Generally speaking, active coping strategies, whether behavioural or emotional, are better ways of dealing with stressful events. Avoidant coping strategies seem to be psychological risk factors, or markers, for adverse responses to stressful life events (Holahan & Moos, 1986).
Some see avoidant coping strategies as less adaptive methods of coping. Denial (pretending the stressors are not present or that they are not causing any significant distress), mental disengagement (distracting ourselves from thinking about the goals with which the stressors are interfering) and behavioural disengagement (abandoning the goals with which the stressors are interfering) are examples of avoidant coping strategies.
Endler and Parker (1990) refer to avoidance as a third strategy that people may use to cope with stress. Avoidance can include person-orientated or task-orientated strategies. Avoidance differs from problem-and emotion-focused coping in that avoiding stressful situations removes people from them, whereas problem- and emotion-focused coping help people to manage the stressful situations whilst they remain in them (Kowalski & Crocker, 2001).
The Coping Orientations to the Problems Experienced (COPE) scale describes 14 different coping methods and makes several distinctions within the overall categories of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping (Carver et al., 1989). The COPE scales comprise active coping; planning; seeking instrumental social support; seeking emotional social support; suppressing competing activities; turning to religion; positive reinterpretation and growth; restraint coping; resignation or acceptance; focus on, and venting of, emotions; denial; mental disengagement; behavioural disengagement; and alcohol or drug use.
Pienaar and Rothmann (2003) suggest that a 4-factor structure is the basis of the COPE questionnaire.
The first factor could be approach coping. It includes the three scales (active coping, planning and suppressing competing activities) in the original proposal or an assortment of the added scales from the cognitive coping factor.
The second factor could be social or emotional coping. It includes the three scales in the original proposal (seeking social support for emotional reasons, seeking social support for instrumental reasons and focusing on, and venting of, emotions) and has been recognised as the most frequently reproduced factor (Kallasmaa & Pulver, 2000).
The third factor deals with avoidance coping and usually includes the three scales in the original proposal (denial, behavioural and mental disengagement). However, alcohol or drug disengagement also loaded onto this factor in six subsequent studies (Cook & Heppner, 1997; Finch, Panter & Caskie, 1999; Hudec-Kneeviæ, Kardum & Vukmiroviæ, 1999; Mitchell & Hastings, 2001; Phelps & Jarvis, 1994; Sica, Novara, Dorz & Sanavio, 1997).
The fourth factor covers turning to religion. It may be such a specific coping strategy that one cannot define it as an exclusive approach, either social or emotional or avoidant, because it probably serves the purpose of all of these. It could also be a very specific approach because of its function for the user.
Billings and Moos (1981) point out that one coping strategy may be enough to reduce stress. This may reduce the need to use other responses. For example, a person may first use a problem-solving strategy. If this succeeds in eliminating stress, there is no need to use other strategies like avoidance. It can distort the coping strategies and their relationships to outcomes.
Coping and work engagement
Work engagement is a multidimensional concept. It is a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that vigour, dedication and absorption define.
Vigour refers to high levels of energy and mental resilience whilst working, a willingness to invest effort in one's work and persistence even in the face of difficulties. Dedication is a sense of significance, enthusiasm, inspiration, pride and challenge. Absorption means full concentration on, and being deeply engrossed in, one's work. Time passes quickly and one has difficulty detaching oneself from work (González-Romá, Schaufeli, Bakker & Lloret, 2006; Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá & Bakker, 2002).
Furthermore, work engagement is not a momentary and specific state. It is a more persistent and pervasive affectivecognitive state that does not focus on a particular object, event, person or behaviour (Schaufeli et al., 2002). According to Bakker and Demerouti (2008), work engagement is an important indicator of occupational well-being.
There is limited research that assesses the relationship between coping and work engagement. The existing and relevant research focuses on students and/or teachers (see Gan, Yang, Zhou & Zhang, 2007; Milot & Ludden, 2009; Parker & Martin, 2009). It highlights the need to investigate the correlation between different coping strategies and engagement. Based on an analysis of findings in various studies by Wrosch and Scheier (2003), one can expect that coping strategies will affect engagement in different life roles. Their results showed that people who are highly engaged use problem-focused coping strategies. If they cannot use problem-focused coping, they will turn to adaptive emotionfocused coping strategies.
The literature also states that, whilst cognitive and behavioural coping strategies are important for predicting engagement, proactive coping and preventive coping can reduce the effect that stress has on engagement (Gan et al., 2007; Parker & Martin, 2009). According to Schwarzer and Taubert (2002), negative appraisals (like harm, loss or threat) do not precede proactive coping.
Proactive coping is an attempt to build up general resources that facilitate moving towards challenging goals, personal growth and engagement. Proactive people see demands and opportunities in the future but they do not appraise these negatively. Therefore, coping for proactive people becomes managing goals rather than managing risks. This results in productive arousal and positive energy (Schwarzer & Taubert, 2002). Proactive coping correlated positively, and moderately to strongly, with two problem-orientated coping strategies that the COPE measures. These are active coping (r = 0.52) and planning (r = 0.45). Furthermore, proactive coping correlated negatively (r = -0.54) with behavioural disengagement, an avoidance coping strategy (Schwarzer & Taubert, 2002).
In a study by Parker and Martin (2009) of the effects of coping and buoyancy on teachers' work-related well-being and engagement, the results provided evidence that coping directly predicts work-related engagement. The results showed that cognitive and behavioural strategies did not predict teacher engagement to the same extent or in the same way. The cognitive coping strategies of mastery orientation and failure avoidance were stronger predictors of teacher engagement via direct and indirect effects than were the behavioural strategies of planning and self-handicapping (Parker & Martin, 2009). All direct coping strategies (like planning that aims to meet the practical and logistic demands of a job most effectively or mastery orientation that aims at the adaptive cognitive perspectives of effort, process, mastery and development) will not necessarily lead to greater engagement. Furthermore, not all palliative strategies (like self-handicapping) are equally detrimental to engagement (Parker & Martin, 2009).
Engaged employees are able to deal with the demands of their positions (Schaufeli & Salanova, 2007). This characteristic provides a link between engagement and using problemfocused coping strategies. These normally occur when people feel in control of situations and that they are able to cope (Lazarus, 1993). The common mechanism in these two concepts suggests that there is a positive relationship between problem solving coping strategies and engagement. Lees (2009) found that, although social support is a form of effective coping, it does not relate significantly to work engagement. This is because the nature of social support may hinder work engagement.
The researchers used this background to formulate two hypotheses:
Hypothesis 1: Problem-focused coping strategies relate positively to work engagement.
Hypothesis 2: Avoidance coping strategies relate negatively to work engagement.
Research design
Research approach
The researchers used a quantitative approach to achieve their research objectives. More specifically, they used a cross-sectional design to collect data on coping and work engagement at a particular point in time from people in three different occupational groups (Rosnow & Rosenthal, 1999).
Researchers collect data simultaneously (or within a short period) when they use a cross-sectional design. This design suits the descriptive and predictive functions associated with correlational research (Graziano & Raulin, 2004).
Research method
Research participants
The researchers drew random and stratified samples (N = 3178) from electricity supply personnel, nurses and officers in the South African Police Service. Table 1 presents some of the characteristics of the participants.
Table 1 shows that 67.5% of participants were police officers and more than 60% were men. Almost half of the sample spoke Afrikaans.
Measuring instruments
The Coping Orientations to the Problems Experienced Questionnaire (Carver et al., 1989) measures both situational and dispositional coping strategies.
In the present study, the researchers used the dispositional version. It consists of 53 items. Response choices ranged from 1 ('I usually don't do this at all') to 4 ('I usually do this a lot'). The COPE measures 14 coping strategies.
In previous South African research, Storm and Rothmann (2003) found acceptable alpha values. Its inter-item correlation coefficients varied between 0.25 (acceptance) and 0.65 (turning to religion). The internal consistencies for this questionnaire were acceptable. Pienaar and Rothmann (2003) found that a 4-factor structure underpins the COPE. The factors include approach coping (active coping, planning and suppressing competing activities), social or emotional coping (seeking social support for emotional reasons, seeking social support for instrumental reasons and focusing on, and venting of, emotions), avoidance coping (denial, behavioural disengagement, mental disengagement and alcohol or drug disengagement) and turning to religion (Pienaar & Rothmann, 2003).
The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) (Schaufeli et al., 2002) measures levels of work engagement.
The UWES covers three dimensions: vigour, dedication and absorption. They are conceptually regarded as the opposite of burnout and are scored on a 7-point frequency-rating scale, varying from 0 ('never') to 6 ('every day'). The questionnaire consists of 17 questions and includes statements like 'I am bursting with energy every day in my work', 'time flies when I am at work' and 'my job inspires me'.
The alpha coefficients for the three subscales varied between .68 and 0.91. Storm (2002) obtained the alpha coefficients that follow on the UWES in the South African Police Service: vigour (0.78), dedication (0.89) and absorption (0.78). Naudé and Rothmann (2004) obtained the alpha coefficients that follow on a sample of 405 emergency workers in South Africa: vigour (0.70), dedication (0.83) and absorption (0.67).
Research procedure
The researchers approached the managers of the organisations to obtain permission to conduct the study with their employees. The participants gave their informed consent. They indicated their willingness to participate in the study by signing a return slip. The researchers observed all the ethical guidelines for treating human subjects throughout the study. Fieldworkers administered the questionnaires to participants in the different organisations and collected the questionnaires immediately after they had completed them.
The participants completed the questionnaires anonymously. The fieldworkers explained to the participants that the researchers would treat the questionnaires confidentially.
Statistical analysis
The researchers conducted the statistical analysis with the aid of the SPSS program (SPSS Inc., 2010). They performed exploratory factor analyses to investigate the construct validity of the measuring instruments.
The researchers first conducted a simple principal component analysis on the COPE. They studied the Eigenvalues and scree plot to determine the number of factors. In order to evaluate the construct validity of the COPE, they performed a principal axis factor analysis, with a varimax rotation, on the 53 items of the COPE (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2001).
The researchers used descriptive statistics to explore the data. They assessed the internal consistencies of the measuring instrument using Cronbach alpha coefficients. Alpha coefficients convey important information about the amount of variance in a scale (Clark & Watson, 1995).
The researchers used Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients to determine the relationship between the variables. The researchers set a confidence level of 95% (p < 0.05) to test for statistical significance.
The researchers used effect sizes (Steyn, 1999) to determine the practical significance of the findings. They set a cut-off point of 0.30 (medium effect; Cohen, 1988) for the practical significance of the correlation coefficients. Because the sample sizes in the three occupational groups were substantially different, they computed Fisher z-values to compare the correlation coefficients between the constructs in the three groups. They multiplied the observed p-values by three because they conducted several tests (Ramseyer, 1979).
The researchers conducted hierarchical multiple regression analyses to determine the amount of variance in the dependent variable, which the independent variables predict. They used the value of R2 to determine the amount of the total variance of the dependent variable, which the independent variables explain. They used the F-test test for a significant regression between the independent and dependent variables (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2001).
Exploratory factor analyses
The researchers performed a simple principal component analysis on the COPE items to determine the number of factors. An analysis of the Eigenvalues showed that they could extract nine factors. They explained 52.2% of the total variance. The researchers then performed a principal axis factor analysis, with a varimax rotation, on the 53 items of the COPE (see Table 2).
The researchers labelled the nine factors as problem-solving (factor 1), avoidance (factor 2), seeking support (factor 3), turning to religion (factor 4), suppressing competing activities (factor 5), acceptance (factor 6), ventilation (factor 7), positive reinterpretation and growth (factor 8) and behavioural disengagement (factor 9). The factor loadings were all higher than the cut-off point of 0.32 (Clark & Watson, 1995). Most communalities were average to high. This indicates that the nine factors represent the items quite well.
The researchers performed a simple principal component analysis on the UWES items to determine the number of factors. An analysis of the Eigenvalues showed that they could extract one factor. It explained 51.29% of the total variance. The researchers then performed a principal axis factor analysis, with a varimax rotation, on the 17 items of the UWES (see Table 3). They labelled the factor work engagement. It comprises vigour, dedication and absorption.
Descriptive statistics and alpha coefficients
Table 4 reports the descriptive statistics, alpha coefficients and correlations of the COPE and UWES.
Table 4 shows high alpha coefficients that range from 0.60 to 0.94. The alpha coefficients of most of the scales were higher than 0.70. They indicate acceptable internal consistency (Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994). However, the internal consistencies of four scales (suppressing competing activities, acceptance, ventilating emotions and positive reinterpretation and growth) were slightly lower than the recommended value. The reliability of one scale (behavioural disengagement) was 0.51. Table 4 does not show it and the researchers decided to exclude this scale from further analyses.
Table 4 shows that work engagement has a statistically and practically significant relationship with problem-focused coping and with positive reinterpretation and growth (both medium effects). Work engagement also has a statistically significant relationship with seeking social support, turning to religion, suppressing competing activities and acceptance. Work engagement has a statistically and negatively significant relationship with ventilating emotions.
To compare the Pearson correlations of the three occupational groups, the researchers calculated Fisher z-values. They multiplied the p-values by three because they conducted several tests. Table 5 gives the results of the comparison.
With regard to the correlations between the coping factors, Table 5 shows that avoidance and turning to religion in the police sample have a statistically significant and stronger relationship with problem-focused coping compared to the nurses' group. Seeking social support and ventilating emotions in the police sample have a statistically significant and stronger relationship with avoidance coping compared to the nurses. Turning to religion in the police sample has a statistically significant and stronger relationship with seeking social support compared to the nurses' group. Positive reinterpretation and growth in the police sample has a statistically significant and stronger relationship with ventilating emotions compared to the nurses' sample.
There are no statistically significant differences between work engagement and coping strategies in the different organisations. There are statistically significant correlations (practically significant, medium effects) between problem focused coping and positive reinterpretation and growth on the one hand and work engagement on the other.
Hierarchical regression analyses
The researchers then performed hierarchical multiple regression analyses. In order to decide on the sequence of entering blocks of variables to the regression equation, the researchers conducted a simple principal component analysis on the eight scales of the COPE. An analysis of the Eigenvalues showed that they could extract two factors. This explained 60.93% of the total variance. They conducted a principal axis factor analysis, with a direct oblimin rotation, on the eight scales of the COPE. They extracted two factors: approach coping and avoidance coping.
Approach coping refers to strategies for resolving problems using problem-focused coping (loading = 0.93), seeking social support (0.61), turning to religion (0.49), suppressing competing activities (0.65), acceptance (0.58) and positive reinterpretation and growth (0.80). Avoidance coping refers to strategies for resolving problems using avoidance (loading = 0.55) and ventilating emotions (0.87).
The researchers decided to conduct separate multiple regression analyses for the three samples because of the differences in the correlations between coping strategies in the three organisations. They followed a two-step multiple regression procedure.
In step 1, the researchers assessed the contribution to work engagement of the approach coping strategies:
problem-focused coping
seeking social support
turning to religion<
suppressing competing activities
acceptance and positive reinterpretation
In step 2, they assessed the contribution to work engagement of avoidance coping strategies: avoidance and ventilating emotions. Table 6 gives the results.
Table 6 shows that approach coping strategies predicted 15% of the variance in the work engagement of the technicians (F = 6.25, p < 0.01). The regression coefficients of two coping strategies, namely problem-focused coping (β = 0.21, p < 0.01) and positive reinterpretation and growth (β = 0.17, p < 0.01), were statistically significant. When the researchers entered avoidance coping strategies as independent variables (in step 2), it resulted in a statistically significant increase in predicting the variance in work engagement (Δ F = 4.90, p < 0.01, Δ R2 = 0.04). The regression coefficients of two coping strategies, namely problem-focused coping (β = 0.23, p < 0.01) and ventilating emotions (β = -0.23, p < 0.01), were statistically significant.
Finally, approach coping strategies predicted 15% of the variance in the work engagement of the police officers (F = 62.49, p < 0.01). The regression coefficients of five coping strategies, namely, (1) problem-focused coping (β = 0.27, p < 0.01), (2) seeking social support (β = 0.05, p < 0.05), (3) turning to religion (β = 0.07, p < 0.05), (4) acceptance (β = -0.05, p < 0.05) and (5) positive reinterpretation and growth (β = 0.11, p < 0.01), were statistically significant. When the researchers added avoidance coping strategies as independent variables (in step 2), it resulted in a statistically significant increase in predicting the variance in work engagement (Δ F = 33.10, p < 0.01, Δ R2 = 0.03). The regression coefficients of four coping strategies, namely, (1) problem-focused coping (β = 0.27, p < 0.01), (2) seeking social support (β = 0.11, p < 0.01), (3) turning to religion (β = 0.07, p < 0.05) and (4) ventilating emotions (β = -0.15, p < 0.01), were statistically significant.
Furthermore, approach coping strategies predicted 14% of the variance in the work engagement of the nurses (F = 22.24, p < 0.01). The regression coefficients of two coping strategies, namely problem-focused coping (β = 0.26, p < 0.01) and positive reinterpretation and growth (β = 0.11, p < 0.01), were statistically significant. When the researchers entered avoidance coping strategies as independent variables (in step 2), it resulted in a statistically significant increase in predicting the variance in work engagement (Δ F = 14.51, p < 0.01, Δ R2 = 0.03). The regression coefficients of three coping strategies, namely problem-focused coping (β = 0.23, p < 0.01), avoidance (β = 0.10, p < 0.01) and ventilating emotions (β = -0.12, p < 0.01), were statistically significant.
The results support Hypothesis 1 and Hypothesis 2.
With regard to Hypothesis 1, problem-focused coping was statistically significant and positively related to the work engagement of the technicians, nurses and police officers. In addition, two other coping strategies, seeking social support and turning to religion, were statistically significant and positively related to the work engagement of the police officers.
With regard to Hypothesis 2, ventilating emotions (a type of avoidance coping strategy) was statistically significant and related negatively to the work engagement of all three groups. However, avoidance also predicted the low work engagement of nurses.
The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between coping strategies and work engagement in three occupational groups. These were technical employees in an electricity provider, professional and enrolled nurses and police officers in the South African Police Service. The results showed that eight coping strategies, which the researchers extracted using exploratory factor analyses, were sufficiently reliable for them to conduct analyses for the purposes of this study.
One can classify these coping strategies as approaching strategies (like problem-focused coping, seeking social support, turning to religion, suppressing competing activities, acceptance and positive reinterpretation and growth) and avoiding strategies (like avoidance and ventilating emotions). The coping strategies did not have a differential relationship with work engagement in the three organisations.
As far as approach coping strategies in this study are concerned, problem-focused coping means that employees take active steps to try to remove stressors, get round them, restructure them, accept situations, learn from their experiences and suppress competing activities.
In this study, seeking support as a coping strategy included two types of strategies. These were seeking support for instrumental reasons (seeking advice, assistance and/or information) and seeking support for emotional reasons (seeking moral support and/or understanding); see Carver et al. (1989). Suppressing competing activities refers to putting other projects aside and trying to avoid distractions from other events in order to deal with stressors. Acceptance means that employees accept the reality of stressful situations. Positive reinterpretation and growth aims to deal with distress emotions rather than dealing with stressors. However, it might also lead employees to reconstruct situations positively. Turning to religion might serve as a source of emotional support, as a way of reinterpreting stressful situations in positive terms and as a tactic to deal actively with stressors. In this study, avoidance coping included avoiding and denying the reality of events as well as ventilating emotions. According to Carver et al. (1989), ventilating emotions means that employees focus on the distress that they are experiencing and release their emotions. Focusing on these emotions can hinder adjustment.
Approach coping strategies predicted approximately 15% of the variance in work engagement for all three organisations. Two approach coping strategies seem to play an important role in engaging at work in all three organisations. These are problem-focused coping and positive reinterpretation and growth.
These two coping strategies seem to involve proactive coping (Schwarzer & Taubert, 2002). Proactive people appraise future demands and opportunities positively. Therefore, they experience vigour, dedication and absorption because they manage their goals by tackling problems and through positive interpretation and growth. Schwarzer and Taubert (2002) reported similar findings in their study. When the researchers considered avoidance coping strategies with approach coping strategies, only problem-focused coping showed a positive relationship with work engagement. Therefore, employees who cope by using strategies to solve problems and by positively reinterpreting and growing from experiences are more engaged in their work.
When the researchers entered both approach and avoidance coping strategies to the regression equations, problemfocused coping and low ventilation of emotions were the best predictors of work engagement in the technician sample.
In the nursing sample, one approach coping strategy (problemfocused coping) and two avoidance coping strategies (low avoidance and low ventilation of emotions) predicted work engagement. In the nursing sample, the presence of approach coping strategies related to work engagement. However, the absence of avoidance coping strategies also did. Nurses who do not deny the reality of events and who do not express their emotions are more engaged in their work.
In the police sample, three approach coping strategies (problem-focused coping, seeking social support and turning to religion) predicted work engagement. One avoidance coping strategy (ventilating emotions) contributed to disengagement at work. These results suggest that preventive coping (in problem-focused coping and low avoidance coping, like ventilating emotions and denying the reality of situations) contributes to work engagement (Gan et al., 2007; Parker & Martin, 2009).
Based on the results of this study, it seems that coping has two pathways to work engagement: proactive and preventive (see Schwarzer & Taubert, 2002). Parker and Martin (2009) found that mastery orientation and failure avoidance were strong predictors of work engagement.
One can classify these coping strategies as parts of the preventive coping pathway (similar to the problemfocused coping and low ventilation coping strategies in this study). On the other hand, one can classify approach coping strategies (like problem-focused coping and positive reinterpretation and growth) as parts of the proactive coping pathway (Schwarzer & Taubert, 2002).
Although researchers have studied coping strategies in relation to stress, the results of this study suggest that coping strategies also affect the engagement of employees. It seems that employees who participate in positive, active coping strategies are able to maintain high levels of work engagement, whilst those who do not participate in such strategies experience decreased work engagement (Schiffrin & Nelson, 2010).
The researchers recommend that organisations consider coping strategies to promote the work engagement of employees in different occupations in South Africa. Training programmes on coping skills should be implemented for police officers, nurses and technicians as part of a strategy to increase their work engagement.
Limitations of the study
A limitation of this study was that 67.5% of the participants belonged to the same group, the police service. A very small sample came from the electricity supply organisation (6.8%). Although the scores were standardised, the smaller sample could have influenced the results.
The research design was a cross-sectional survey one. This made it difficult to determine causal relationships. Longitudinal designs can help to establish causality.
Another limitation was that the researchers relied exclusively on self-reports.
Future studies should use samples that are more representative to study the relationships between coping and work engagement. Future research should study the purpose and effectiveness of coping strategies in relation to work engagement in different occupations (Kowalski & Crocker, 2001). Researchers should study several factors in different occupations and organisations (like the type of work, management style and history) in research of this kind. They will provide an invaluable understanding of coping strategies and their relationships with work engagement.
Bakker, A.B., & Demerouti, E. (2008). Towards a model of work engagement. Career Development International, 13 (3), 209-233. doi:10.1108/13620430810870476 [ Links ]
Bakker, A.B., Schaufeli, W.B., Leiter, M.P., & Taris, T.W. (2008). Work engagement: An emerging concept in occupational health psychology. Work & Stress, 22, 187-200. doi:10.1080/02678370802393649 [ Links ]
Billings, A.G., & Moos, R.H. (1981). The role of coping responses and social resources in attenuating the stress of life events. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4, 139-157. doi:10.1007/BF00844267, PMid:7321033 [ Links ]
Carver, C.S., & Scheier, M.F. (1996). Self-regulation and its failures. Psychology Inquiry, 7, 32. doi:10.1207/s15327965pli0701_6 [ Links ]
Carver, C.S., Scheier, M.F., & Weintraub, J.K. (1989). Assessing coping strategies: A theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 267-283. doi:10.1037/0022-35126.96.36.1997, PMid:2926629 [ Links ]
Clark, L.A., & Watson, D. (1995). Construct validity: Basic issues in objective scale development. Psychological Measurement, 28, 61-75. [ Links ]
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis of the behavioural sciences. (2nd edn.). Orlando, CA: Academic Press. [ Links ]
Cook, S.W., & Heppner, P.P. (1997). A psychometric study of three coping measures. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 57, 906-923. doi:10.1177/0013164497057006002 [ Links ]
Cooper, C.L., Dewe, P.J., & O'Driscoll, M.P. (2001). Organizational stress: A review and critique of theory, research, and applications. San Francisco, CA: Sage. [ Links ]
Endler, N.S., & Parker, J.D.A. (1990). Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS): Manual. Toronto: Multi-Health Systems. [ Links ]
Finch, J.F., Panter, A.T., & Caskie, G.I.L. (1999). Two approaches for identifying shared personality dimensions across methods. Journal of Personality, 67, 407-438. doi:10.1111/1467-6494.00060 [ Links ]
Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R.S. (1980). An analysis of coping in a middle-aged community sample. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 21, 219-239. doi:10.2307/2136617, PMid:7410799 [ Links ]
Folkman, S., & Moskowitz, J.T. (2004). Coping: Pitfalls and promises. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 745-774. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.141456, PMid:14744233 [ Links ]
Gan, Y., Yang, M., Zhou, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2007). The two-factor structure of futureoriented coping and its mediating role in student engagement. Personality and Individual Differences, 43, 851-863. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2007.02.009 [ Links ]
González-Romá, V., Schaufeli, W.B., Bakker, A.B., & Lloret, S. (2006). Burnout and work engagement: Independent factors or opposite poles? Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68, 165-174. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2005.01.003 [ Links ]
Graziano, A.M., & Raulin, M.L. (2004). Research methods: A process of inquiry. (5thedn.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Group. [ Links ]
Harter, J.K., Schmidt, F.L., & Keyes, C.L. (2002). Well-being in the workplace and its relationship to work outcomes: A review of the Gallup studies. In C.L. Keyes & J. Haidt (Eds.), The positive person and the good life (pp. 205-224). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. [ Links ]
Holahan, C.J., & Moos, R.H. (1986). Personality, coping and family resources in stress resistance: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 389-395. doi:10.1037/0022-35126.96.36.1999, PMid:3746619 [ Links ]
Hudec-Kneeviæ, J., Kardum, I., & Vukmiroviæ, Z. (1999). The structure of coping styles: A comparatively study of a Croatian sample. European Journal of Personality, 13, 149-161. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1099-0984(199903/04)13:2<149::AID- PER326>3.0.CO;2-Z [ Links ]
Kahn, W.A. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal, 33, 692-724 doi:10.2307/256287 [ Links ]
Kallasmaa, T., & Pulver, A. (2000). The structure and properties of the Estonian COPE inventory. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 881-894. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(99)00240-8 [ Links ]
Kowalski, K.C., & Crocker, P.R.E. (2001). Development and validation of the Coping Function Questionnaire for adolescents in sport. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 23, 136-155. [ Links ]
Lazarus, R.S. (1993). Coping theory and research: Past, present, and future. Psychosomatic Medicine, 55, 234-247. PMid:8346332 [ Links ]
Lazarus, R.S. (1966). Psychological stress and the coping process. New York: McGraw-Hill. [ Links ]
Lazarus, R.S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer. [ Links ]
Lees, N.F. (2009). The ability to bounce back: The relationship between resilience, coping, and positive outcomes. Unpublished master's thesis, Massey University, Auckland. [ Links ]
Livneh, H., Antonak, R.F., & Gerhardt, J. (2000). Multidimensional investigation of the structure of coping among people with assumptions. Psychometrics, 41, 235-244. [ Links ]
Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). The how of happiness: A scientific approach to getting the life you want. New York: Penguin Press. [ Links ]
Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K.M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9, 111-113. doi:10.1037/1089-26184.108.40.206 [ Links ]
Macey, W.H., & Schneider, B. (2008). The meaning of employee engagement. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 1 , 3-30. doi:10.1111/j.1754-9434.2007.0002.x [ Links ]
May, D.R., Gilson, R.L., & Harter, L.M. (2004). The psychological conditions of meaningfulness, safety and availability and the engagement of the human spirit at work. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 77, 11-37. doi:10.1348/096317904322915892 [ Links ]
Milot, A.S., & Ludden, A.B. (2009). The effects of religion and gender on well-being, substance use, and academic engagement among rural adolescents. Youth & Society, 40 , 403-425. doi:10.1177/0044118X08316668 [ Links ]
Mitchell, G., & Hastings, R.P. (2001). Coping, burnout, and emotion in staff working in community services for people with challenging behaviors. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 106, 448-459. doi:10.1352/0895-8017(2001)106<0448:CBA EIS>2.0.CO;2 [ Links ]
Naudé, J.L.P., & Rothmann, S. (2004). The validation of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for emergency health technicians in Gauteng. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 7, 459-468. [ Links ]
Nunnally, J.C., & Bernstein, I.H. (1994). Psychometric theory. (3rd edn.). New York: McGraw-Hill. [ Links ]
Olivier, A.L., & Rothmann, S. (2007). Antecedents of work engagement in a multinational oil company. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology/SA Tydskrif vir Bedryfsielkunde, 33(3), 49-56. [ Links ]
Park, N., Peterson, C., & Ruch, W. (2009). Orientations to happiness and life satisfaction in twenty-seven nations. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4, 273-279. doi:10.1080/17439760902933690 [ Links ]
Parker, P.D., & Martin, A.J. (2009). Coping and buoyancy in the workplace: Understanding their effects on teachers' work-related well-being and engagement. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 68-75. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2008.06.009 [ Links ]
Peterson, C., Park, N., & Seligman, M.E.P. (2005). Orientations to happiness and life satisfaction: The full life versus the empty life. Journal of Happiness Studies, 6, 25-41. doi:10.1007/s10902-004-1278-z [ Links ]
Phelps, S.B., & Jarvis, P.A. (1994). Coping in adolescence: Empirical evidence for a theoretically based approach to assessing coping. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 23, 359-371. doi:10.1007/BF01536724 [ Links ]
Pienaar, J., & Rothmann, S. (2003). Coping strategies in the South African Police Service. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology/SA Tydskrif vir Bedryfsielkunde, 29(4),81-90. [ Links ]
Ramseyer, G.C. (1979). Testing the difference between dependent correlations using the Fisher Z. The Journal of Experimental Education, 47, 307-310. [ Links ]
Rosnow, R.L., & Rosenthal, R. (1999). Beginning behavioral research: A conceptual primer. (3rd edn.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. [ Links ]
Rothmann, S., & Rothmann, S. (Jr). (2010). Factors associated with employee engagement in South African organisations. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology/ SA Tydskrif vir Bedryfsielkunde, 36(1), 1-12. doi:10.4102/sajip.v36i1.925 [ Links ]
Saks, A.M. (2006). Antecedents and consequences of employee engagement. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 21 (7), 600-619. doi:10.1108/02683940610690169 [ Links ]
Schaufeli, W.B., & Bakker, A.B. (2004). Job demands, job resources, and their relationship with burnout and engagement: A multi-sample study. Journal of Organisational Behavior, 25 , 293-315. doi:10.1002/job.248 [ Links ]
Schaufeli, W.B., & Salanova, M. (2007). Work engagement: An emerging psychological concept and its implications for organizations. In S.W. Gilliland, D.D. Steiner & D.P. Skarlicki (Eds.), Managing social and ethical issues in organizations, Volume 5: Research in social issues in management (pp. 135-177). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishers. [ Links ]
Schaufeli, W.B., Salanova, M., González-Romá, V., & Bakker, A.B. (2002). The measurement of engagement and burnout: A two sample confirmatory factor analytic approach. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3, 71-92. doi:10.1023/A:1015630930326 [ Links ]
Schiffrin, H.H., & Nelson, S.K. (2010). Stressed and happy: Investigating the relationship between happiness and perceived stress. Journal of Happiness Studies, 11, 22-39. doi:10.1007/s10902-008-9104-7 [ Links ]
Schwarzer, R., & Taubert, S. (2002). Tenacious goal pursuits and striving toward personal growth: Proactive coping. In E. Frydenberg (Ed.), Beyond coping: Meeting goals, visions and challenges (pp. 19-35). London: Oxford University Press. [ Links ]
Sica, C., Novara, C., Dorz, S., & Sanavio, E. (1997). Coping strategies: Evidence for cross- cultural differences? A preliminary study with the Italian version of coping orientations to problem experienced (COPE). Personality and Individual Differences, 23, 1025-1029. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(97)00112-8 [ Links ]
SPSS 18.0 [computer software] (2010). Chicago, IL: SPSS Incorporated. [ Links ]
Steyn, H.S. (1999). Praktiese betekenisvolheid: Die gebruik van effekgroottes [Practical significance: The use of effect sizes]. Wetenskaplike bydraes - Reeks B: Natuurwetenskappe Nr. 117. Potchefstroom: PU vir CHO. [ Links ]
Storm, K. (2002). Burnout and work engagement in the South African Police Service. Unpublished doctoral thesis, PU for CHE, Potchefstroom, South Africa. [ Links ]
Storm, K., & Rothmann, S. (2003). The relationship between burnout, personality traits and coping strategies in a corporate pharmaceutical group. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology/SA Tydskrif vir Bedryfsielkunde, SA Journal of Industrial Psychology/SA Tydskrif vir Bedryfsielkunde, 29(4), 35-42. [ Links ]
Tabachnick B.G., & Fidell, L.S. (2001). Using multivariate statistics. (4th edn.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. [ Links ]
Wrosch, C., & Scheier, M.F. (2003). Personality and quality of life: The importance of optimism and goal adjustment. Quality of Life Research, 12, 59-72. doi:10.1023/A:1023529606137, PMid:12803312 [ Links ]
Correspondence to:
Sebastiaan Rothmann
Postal address: Faculty of Humanities, North-West University
PO Box 1174
Vanderbijlpark 1900, South Africa
Email: email@example.com
Received: 31 Aug. 2010
Accepted: 08 July 2011
Published: 12 Oct. 2011
© 2011. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS OpenJournals. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.


text:
Hair Restoration Doctor in Englewood NJ
If you are experiencing hairline thinning or balding, hair restoration can be a viable solution that will help you turn back the clock. When you are looking for the best hair restoration doctor in Englewood NJ, many residents turn to New Jersey Plastic Surgery®.
What is Hair Restoration?
Many people who are experiencing balding lose the hair in the front of their scalp first. A hair transplant compensates for this by relocating healthy strands of hair from the sides or back of your head and placing them in front. Hair transplants or hair restoration procedures are typically performed on men. However, women who are experiencing an unusual amount of hair loss can sometimes benefit from them as well.
The Best Candidates for Hair Restoration in Englewood NJ
The ideal candidate for a hair restoration in Englewood NJ will have:
- Moderate to severe thinning of the hair on the front part of the head, also known as a receding hairline
- An adequate amount of hair on the sides or back of the head to use for the transplant
- A healthy scalp
Planning Your Hair Transplant Surgery In Englewood NJ
You must arrange for someone to drive you to and from your appointment. It's important to schedule your hair transplant surgery for a time when you will be able to stay at home for approximately three or four days. After that time, you will be able to remove bandages from your head and the anesthesia will also have fully left your system, so you should no longer feel lethargic or groggy.
Preparing for Your Hair Transplant Surgery
Dr. DiBernardo will provide you with a list of instructions to follow in the days leading up to your surgery. You will need to avoid smoking and taking blood-thinning medications, such as aspirin, for up to two weeks prior to your surgery. The evening before your procedure, you will also need to wash your hair and scalp thoroughly with Hibiclens®, which is a potent antiseptic that sterilizes your scalp and removes residue left behind by other shampoos and styling products.
Types of Anesthesia
Most hair transplants are performed under local anesthesia, which numbs only the area being worked on. Patients who are prone to anxiety attacks may also be provided with a sedative to help them relax.
The Hair Transplant Procedure
Once the anesthesia kicks in, Dr. DiBernardo will go to work harvesting hair follicles from the donor site. These follicles will then be carefully reinserted into the area where balding has occurred. The length of the procedure varies according to the number of grafts being transplanted. Transplanting 2,000 hair grafts can take as long as five to six hours.
How Much Does a Hair Restoration Cost in Englewood NJ?
Hair restoration in Englewood NJ are highly customized procedures, which is why it is not possible to provide you with a cost up front. During your consultation Dr. DiBernardo will assess the reason for your hair loss to determine which procedure(s) might be best. At that time, he will be better able to provide you with an accurate cost. For your convenience, we accept cash, check, Visa®®, Master®Card, American Express® and Discover®. Financing options are also available.
After Your Hair Transplant Surgery
A follow-up visit is required within 10 to 14 days to remove stitches and check for complications. The results will not be visible immediately, as it will take a few weeks for hair to begin re-growing into its transplanted area. You will continue noticing gradual improvement and can expect to see the final results within a few months.
Getting Back to Normal Following Hair Transplant Surgery
You should wait at least 48 hours before shampooing your hair. After that time, you can wash and style your hair as usual. It's possible to resume light activity three or four days after your surgery. However, you may need to wait about a week or so before returning to work or performing strenuous tasks.
If you've noticed thinning hair in the front of your scalp, a hair transplant can help restore that full head of hair you once enjoyed, thereby allowing you to feel younger and more self-confident.


text:
Hobart Real Estate
Hobart is located in Indiana. Hobart, Indiana has a population of 28,404. Hobart is more family-centric than the surrounding county with 29.28% of the households containing married families with children. The county average for households married with children is 28.33%.
The median household income in Hobart, Indiana is $55,840. The median household income for the surrounding county is $49,617 compared to the national median of $53,482. The median age of people living in Hobart is 38.9 years.
Hobart Map
View Homes for Sale in Hobart
Hobart Weather
The average high temperature in July is 83.2 degrees, with an average low temperature in January of 16.7 degrees. The average rainfall is approximately 39.3 inches per year, with 32.7 inches of snow per year.
Real estate near Hobart
Nearby Cities
Nearby Cities Homes for Sale
Hobart Zip Codes