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Healthcare costs remain the top concern of CFOs, according to a recent survey, and the Obama administration's decision to give companies another year to comply with the requirement to provide insurance for all full-time workers isn't likely to improve the outlook for next year's cost increase.
Last month, the government announced that the employer mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—which says companies must offer health coverage to all employees who work 30 hours a week or more, or else pay a penalty—has been delayed until 2015. That postponement gives companies more time to rework their healthcare offerings. But they still face higher costs in 2014 related to fees and other plan changes mandated by the ACA, as well as the possibility that more employees who are already eligible for health coverage will sign up as the law's individual mandate kicks in.
Plan changes that go into effect starting in 2014 include a 90-day limit on eligibility waiting periods and limits on the out-of-pocket maximums for new self-insured plans, said Tracy Watts, U.S. leader for healthcare reform at consultancy Mercer. There are also new fees coming next year, most notably the transitional reinsurance fee of $63 per participant.
"All of these things add up, and they end up costing 2% to 3%" of health plan costs, Watts said
While the employer mandate has been postponed, she predicted some companies will go ahead and provide expanded coverage in 2014, especially if they've already started to talk to their employees about it. But companies that will take a financial hit from expanding eligibility will take advantage of the postponement and wait for 2015, she said.
"We've definitely seen cases where employers were looking at expanded coverage, but they're now going to defer on that till 2015," said Geoff Kuhn, a senior vice president at consulting company Aon Hewitt.
One area of uncertainty is how many employees who don't currently use their company coverage will sign up next year. Watts said 16% to 18% of workers currently opt out of company health plans, with the percentage much higher in some industries, such as retail.
"One of the big questions that employers have been struggling with is: When we go through open enrollment with the individual mandate, does that mean that people might come into the plan that haven't been enrolled?" Watts said. "Obviously the more people who are covered in your plan, the more it costs."
The individual mandate isn't the only factor that could encourage more employees to sign up for coverage, she said. If employees were getting health insurance through their spouse because the spouse's plan had better benefits or lower costs, they may shift back to their own company's plan if the spouse's plan becomes less generous. "It could be you attract employees back into your plan because you're trying to maintain something that isn't the standard in the market," Watts said. "If you're the last one to change, you're going to be that dependent magnet."
Steve Wojcik, vice president of public policy at the National Business Group on Health (NBGH), an organization that represents large employers on healthcare issues, argued that companies will also start to see higher costs next year as healthcare providers like hospitals and doctors charge private payers more to offset the smaller payments they get to treat individuals covered by Medicaid or through public exchanges. "We call it shifting revenues to private payers, especially employers and others who are more generous in terms of paying for care," Wojcik said.
A Mercer database that tracks negotiated network arrangements between insurers and their customers does not show any upward pressure from such shifts, said Watts, pictured at left. But she added, "As Medicaid grows, that could certainly put pressure on the system." She doesn't expect that kind of pricing pressure from the public exchanges, though. "From what I've seen so far they are going to advantage their costs through more narrow networks or their plan design features," Watts said.
A recent survey of CFOs by Bank of America Merrill Lynch points to the extent of businesses' worries about healthcare costs, with 58% of CFOs citing such costs as their top concern, up from 56% in 2012. That was far and away the CFOs' top worry; revenue growth, which came in second, was cited by just 43% of CFOs.
Watts noted that healthcare reform has already spurred big changes in companies' health plans, changes that have moderated the pace at which healthcare costs are growing. Mercer's annual survey of 3,000 employers found healthcare costs rose just 4.3% last year, the lowest annual increase in 15 years, she said. Watts cited a big increase in the number of employers that offer consumer-based plans and a pick-up in enrollment in those plans.
Of course, last year's 4.3% rise in healthcare costs was still significantly higher than overall inflation; the U.S. consumer price index rose just 1.7% in 2012. NBGH's Wojcik argued that the ACA does nothing to limit the rate of healthcare cost increases.
"Rising healthcare costs, that really hasn't been dealt with yet," he said. "That's the thing we really need to tackle: the payment and delivery reforms that will drive down costs, as opposed to our current payment and delivery system, which drives up healthcare costs."
Aon's Kuhn agreed. "Healthcare reform is going to give more people access to coverage, but we think the net impact of the fees and everything else in healthcare reform is likely to do more to push healthcare costs up than push costs down," he said.
"The one piece where there's some potential hope is exchanges and people competing for consumers," Kuhn said. "We think there's the potential for some innovation in the market. That's where we need to get to to bring down healthcare costs."


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subset: commoncrawl


text:
What are your pet peeves? Here are a few of mine
Maybe it's just our start-and-stop spring that's annoying me, but here's a list of some of my pet peeves.
Why can my phone sit silently as I toil at my office desk for hours on end, but as soon as I get up and walk across the newsroom, it will ring?
Why, if I'm only one of two guys in the locker room at the athletic club, will I be bumping elbows with the other guy, whose locker is right next to mine?
Why are so many products in plastic containers these days hard to open?
Speaking of plastic packages, why do hot dogs so often come in pouches of 10 while buns come in differing numbers?
Why does that one family in our neighborhood insist on parking so as to block the sidewalk so often when they have plenty of room in their driveway for their cars?
Speaking of parking on your property, why do so many people think nothing of driving up on the lawn adjacent to the driveway, making a muddy, ugly mess and detracting from the neighborhood?
Why do so many people not bother to take in their big blue garbage cans from the curb until a day or two—or more—after trash day?
Speaking of trash, how can so many people pull those blue bins to the curb without looking around, picking up litter on their lawns, terraces and gutters and tossing it in the cans?
Likewise, why do so many smokers insist on tossing their cigarette butts out their car windows? Each butt contains toxins that harm our environment. You want to smoke, fine; discard the butts at home. Also, when you're done with your cigarette pack, what makes you think you should just toss it out for someone else to pick up?
How can so many dog walkers be so inconsiderate as to let their dogs poop in parks or on sidewalks or terraces without carrying bags and picking it up? You're giving all of us dog owners a bad reputation.
Finally, back to my original point, why can't spring come in a nice, steady march rather than tease and tantalize us with starts and stops? I'm more than ready to enjoy some nicer weather. How about you?
Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.
Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.


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Whitewater might pull its funding for bus line to Milton and Janesville
WHITEWATER—It's not clear how the Janesville-Milton-Whitewater Innovation Express bus service would be affected if Whitewater and UW-Whitewater pull their funding, a Janesville official said.
The proposed 2014 Whitewater city budget does not include the estimated $18,000 requested by the Janesville Transit System for the bus service, Whitewater City Council President Patrick Singer said.
"It's not necessarily about not funding the bus, it's about funding other things in our budget," Singer said.
The council, which meets Tuesday night, wants to focus on a building repair fund and increasing a fund balance for undesignated projects, Singer said.
How the bus routes and services will be affected if Whitewater decides not to continue funding is unclear, said Dave Mumma, Janesville Transit System director.
Milton, Whitewater, UW-Whitewater and Generac Power Systems in Whitewater fund the bus service. Janesville Transit System provides equipment, maintenance and administrative services worth $250,000, Mumma said.
Milton, Generac Power Systems and Janesville have committed to continue funding for 2014. UW-Whitewater partners with the city of Whitewater and matches the city's contribution.�
Jeff Arnold, UW-Whitewater vice chancellor for administration affairs, said the university can't say if it will continue funding because it is "committed to supporting the city of Whitewater."
The bus service began in April 2012 at the request of Generac to improve access to public transportation for employees from outside Whitewater. It has since added two daily weekday trips, three Saturday trips and one Sunday trip.
The estimated cost of operation for 2014 is about $395,000. Last year it cost about $360,000.
In 2013, 67 percent of the cost was covered by a state Department of Transportation grant for new public transportation. The grant cannot be renewed, dropping state and federal aid to 55.5 percent for 2014. The sponsors are left to covering the difference.
The sponsors were warned a cost increase was coming, Milton Mayor Brett Frazier said.
Milton provided about $15,000 for 2013 and is providing $27,000 for 2014.
"We budgeted for that because we see the value," Frazier said. "We didn't assume that everyone would be on board, but we felt the numbers speak for themselves and that the value is fairly self-evident."
For the eight months the bus service ran in 2012, the service provided 5,167 one-way rides. From January 2013 to October 2013, a total of 15,191 rides were given – nearly triple 2012 ridership.
"The additional trips and higher level of service has had the desired effect, and that number keeps going up," Mumma said.
Data provided by Janesville Transit System shows the two heaviest users of the bus service are Generac Power Systems and Janesville with a combination of about 80 percent of the total rides given. Whitewater and UW-Whitewater account for about 7 percent of ridership.
Singer said those numbers make it is hard to justify giving the bus line a higher priority for tax dollars than other needs.
Tim Hearden, vice president of operations for Generac Power Systems in Whitewater, said he was surprised when he heard the city of Whitewater might pull its support. He encouraged the city council to reconsider.
"We believe that the success of that program requires a long-term commitment from community partners," Hearden said. "It is too soon to withdraw support when we are moving in the right direction."
The city council is considering a compromise.
There has been talk of providing $10,000, the same amount provided last year, with another sponsor making up the $8,000 difference, Singer said.


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Watch This Crow Try to Steal a Frying Pan — Daily Distraction
[onescreen item="4994628″]
Now, you might wonder what exactly a crow even needs with a small frying pan, but then you'd be missing the whole point, wouldn't you?
What we have in this video is a crow who—for whatever reason—seems to really want the pan that this lady is holding. So the bird figures out that if he can create a diversion, suddenly the pan is ripe for the taking. Between this and the dog who drives, we seem to have entered a golden age of enlightened animals. Let's just hope they don't learn how to send email spam.
The Daily Distraction is your Internet break from reality. Whether you're eating lunch at your desk or avoiding high school exes on Facebook, you might just laugh, say "aaahhh" or not believe what you just watched.


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Any SOLID arguments against evolution?
Discussion of everything related to the Theory of Evolution.
Moderator: BioTeam
Good point; for me the most recent jaw-dropping moment was a few days ago when my friend and I had set up our telescopes in the field outside of town and were waiting for the sun to set. We saw a mockingbird only ten feet away from us, cleaning its feathers. We both froze and lifted our binoculars to our eyes, and watched the bird for several minutes before it flew away. I couldn't believe it wasn't afraid to be so close to us, but it was absolutely wonderful to get to see it so close.
Then the sunset itself was gorgeous - a point sadly missed by most astronomers. The night sky always holds countless wonders, and I was able for the first time to identify several galaxies in the Virgo galaxy cluster. You need an almost perfect dark night to do that! The whole time, I couldn't believe it, each galaxy is millions of light-years across, contains hundreds of billions of stars, and is several million light-years away, and there were sometimes up to five of them at once in my eyepiece! Then add in the fact that, when the light we were seeing left those galaxies, mankind didn't even exist, and the sense of wonder is only deepened.
I know, none of this has anything to do with our topic; I'm just going on about how beautiful the natural world can be. No wonder I am studying to become a scientist, huh?
Generally speaking, the more people talk about "being saved," the further away they actually are from true salvation.
#2 Total Post Count
Re: Any SOLID arguments against evolution?
Thank you Mr. Arastus. You seem to be a really cool person, and yes I am a Christian through many seasons, backslidings, and back again. But I never lost my faith.
Evolution is a theory of origins so God talk is rather inevitable. So please indulge me, and I'll get to my concerns. Then at least you'll understand why there is still a debate.
No. 1. If evolution is true then Adam and Eve are not, because death entered into the world before them.
No.2 If Adam and Eve are just a bible story then there is no inherited sin that was passed down from Adam--that is a sin nature in our genes that makes us want to do opposite the law of God.
No.3 If there is no sin nature, nor death as a result of our sin, then there is no need for a Saviour form that sin.
no.4 Jesus Christ was then a liar or a lunatic, because he claimed to be Lord of all things and claimed that he was sent to be a sacrifice for our sins. then the CHURCH is a farce and has no relevant function on Earth--even a mistaken pitiful imposter, living a fantasy.
No.4 But because there is personal revelation in the heart about scripture resulting in faith in something that we cannot see--but sense and feel--therefore there is a debate.
No. 5 What I say, I say in utmost humility and sincerity. I do not mean it in any sense arrogantly. Scripture will have the last word to America and Europe who have led the way in this theory which denies God's glory in His creation, and overthrows faith in children before it can root in them. For the heavens declare the glory of God the psalms say and in the last days which in my years of scriptural study can tell you we are in says that men will be heady and highminded, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.
AFJ, forgive me for saying so, but I am surprised that you think your entire faith will fall apart because of one scientific theory. This really does baffle me.
I also do not understand how you are able to make some of the claims you are advancing. It is clear from any in-depth study of Scripture that the creation stories in Genesis were never meant to be taken as literally as you seem to interpret them, just as it is equally plain to see that we are not yet anywhere close to the last days as described in Revelation. I am simply at a loss to understand how you are able to claim such things.
Perhaps you and I should have a private discussion through e-mail concerning religious and theological topics. Then we could return here for the scientific part of it. First, however, I really would like to have a purely doctrinal dialogue with you, if only to help us understand each other, since we both claim to be Christian but we seem to be following two completely different forms of faith. My e-mail can be accessed through the information shown under my screen name.
I'll be gone for the weekend, but should be back by Monday. I may or may not find time to post over the weekend; if not, I will see you again on Monday. Have a good weekend!
Generally speaking, the more people talk about "being saved," the further away they actually are from true salvation.
#2 Total Post Count
You show the curiosity and excellent problem skills of a born scientist. It's something that no school or university can give a person.
I could right away see that in your replies. Instead of acting on belief (includes many Atheists) and emotion you weigh the facts to arrive at as logical a conclusion as possible. I wish there were many more like you in the world.
I simply don't understand why you need to interpret "God's own words"..........I've seen many christians who support evolution say this "interpretation stuff"..........it looks nice to balance evolution and faith.........the problem is different people can interpret in different manners......and i simply don't understand how the killing of innocent people can be justified.....i mean to say abt the plagues of egypt.......I would love to hear your "interpretation" on that...LOL
"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution"
-Theodosius Dobzhansky
David, I would like an honest answer to this question:
Are you honestly interested in hearing an answer to your question, or is this just another attempt of yours to advance your obvious bigotry while attempting - poorly - to disguise it as some sort of reason?
I am sorry if this offends you, but in my experience you have shown a debating style not unlike the currently-ignored gamila, and until I am certain you are interested in a serious discussion and not simple faith-bashing, I will decline to respond to your question just as I am currently ignoring his.
Generally speaking, the more people talk about "being saved," the further away they actually are from true salvation.
#2 Total Post Count
AFJ I totally understand your dillema. I just want to address these points:
Perhaps not everything happened the way the Bible tells it - but that doesn't make it untrue. Think of biblical creation as an allegory or a myth. There is still a core message to it that is culturally and religiously important, regardless of the actual truth of the account.
People obviously need saving from something - otherwise why would they cling to religions that offer them such salvation? So perhaps the biblical account is not entirely factual; but recognizing this does not invalidate your faith. (or it shouldn't)
The all-or-nothing attitude of literal creationists is what creates angry atheists. People will either turn a perpetually blind eye to scientific evidence or be so blown away by it that their faith is irrevocably destroyed.
I'll come back to my previous point: There are many ways to interpret religious texts, and there are many doctrines, but there is only one you. You believe in a personal god, so why should you need everyone else's interpretations of what you should believe? (mine included) To butcher a famous quote by Galileo: why would God endow you with reason and logic, and then expect you to forego them? The Bible is just words on paper that have been passed down generation to generation (and changed over time, make no mistake). You, according to your faith, are a direct creation of God. Ultimately, which can you trust more?
Finally I'll just say this: AFJ you're obviously an inquisitive person, you wouldn't be here otherwise. I get the feeling logic and faith are pulling you different directions, but they don't need to. I'd advise taking Alex up on his offer for email chatter. You guys can probably figure a lot out.
What did the parasitic Candiru fish say when it finally found a host? - - "Urethra!!"
Re: Re:
DG has a point. 99% (statistic totally made up on the spot) of religious practice is interpretation. Two "bible scholars" could sit in a room for eternity quibbling over their various interpretations of religious text. One thing they can agree on is that there is an underlying truth. Personally I think that people of faith need to step back and realize what it is that they truly believe in - and let the less important matters settle out from there.
What did the parasitic Candiru fish say when it finally found a host? - - "Urethra!!"
Re: Any SOLID arguments against evolution?
Hi folks,
No problem on the email, Alex. Back to science. Just one comment Alex and I'll continue on Email--I already knew you thought Adam and Eve were an allegory. There's no way to rectify a literal interpretation of Genesis and evolution. However, and this is all I will say on this website--if you read the apostle Paul's letter to the Romans in the New Testament you will find that he taught the early Christians in Rome that we have a sinful nature that was inherited from Adam--chapters 3--8, and that Jesus Christ was the legal and substitutionary sacrifice which paid for the sin of the world.
Mr. Arastus, thank you for your understanding. I assure you that I see no difference between faith and logic. I simply love science. Even in evolutionary theory you have not or do not see many things which are postulated, or know how some things took place--but the theory fits in your mind logically or you would probably have a nervous breakdown (lol). My faith is not without evidence--some of the evidence would be supernatural intervention and would not be allowed in scientific discussion.
It is obvious that modern day science is naturalistic, and nothing wrong with that in and of itself. But the problem would be that if the truth of a matter is not completely in the scope of the natural, science would not be able to facilitate the correct answers and possibly be completely wrong in some matters. String theory postulates infinite dimensions using Einstein's physics. It is ironic that scientists consider this a possibility and yet would not converse seriously about a spiritual dimension or the spiritual nature of man, or God.
Re: Any SOLID arguments against evolution?
Endosymbiotic theory: These are some excerpts from an online article by Dr. Georgia Purdom
Ph.D., molecular genetics, Ohio State University.
She has published papers in the Journal of Neuroscience, the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research and the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. She is also a member of the American Society for Microbiology, and American Society for Cell Biology, and the Creation Research Society.
"Endosymbiotic theory proposes that primary endosymbiosis of cyanobacteria by an ancestral cell gave rise to algae and plants and secondary endosymbiosis of algae by protists gave rise to photosynthetic protists.
"The following quote gives us a picture of how evolutionists believe plastid endosymbiosis may have occurred:
" 'Endosymbiosis may be initiated when a phagotrophic protist engulfs an alga as prey. The protist fails, however, to digest the alga and thus accidentally retains it within the cell like a toothpick that cannot be swallowed [known as the "stuck-in-the-throat" model].1...This process of endosymbiosis requires genetic integration between the host and symbiont; vast amount of genes are transferred to the host nucleus, and protein transport machinery is established to transport products back into the plastid.'1"
"Endosymbiotic theory proposes that the genes for organelle proteins got transferred to the nucleus as part of a reduction process by the bacteria/cyanobacteria as they became a permanent part of the cell."
[The Problem]
"The problem for the cell was that it then had to "evolve" transport pathways to bring the organelle proteins back to the organelle....Each organelle has specific [protein] pathways...to accomplish this and there are typically several different pathways [for each] organelle....five pathways have been identified so far for transport of proteins into mitochondria.2 The case is similar for plastids.
"Since mutations are the only "tool" evolution has to "work" with, and since evolutionists have yet to show how new information could be added to a genome without design, mutations cannot account for the origin of these protein-transport pathways. If there is no way to form these pathways, then the organelles would become obsolete once they started transferring their genes to the nucleus. Furthermore, if there was no pathway to return the proteins to the organelle, then the organelles would stop functioning and would no longer be selected for because they did not serve a purpose.
"Intermediates not found
"For many years, the eukaryotic protists Archezoa, a now abandoned classification, were thought to lack mitochondria and to have branched off before the mitochondrial endosymbiotic event.3 However, recent findings have shown that Archezoa have mitochondria-like structures called mitosomes or hydrogenosomes.3 They share similarities with mitochondria, such as membrane structure and protein transport machinery, but differ in function.3 So the search goes on for a eukaryote without mitochondria. But even if one were found, that still would not prove common ancestry and a later endosymbiotic event. Similarity is at best merely consistent with common ancestry. It may just be a different species of eukaryote that God designed in such a way that it does not require functioning mitochondria (prokaryotes don't have mitochondria and yet make a sufficient amount of ATP).
"Scientists claim that Hatena, a recently discovered protist, is a "snapshot" of an endosymbiotic event that has not yet reached completion. This organism has a unique life cycle. It contains an algal symbiont, but when it divides only one of the daughter cells gets the alga.4 The other daughter cell has a feeding apparatus that allows it to engulf an alga.4 It only engulfs a certain species of alga, and the alga retains many of its cellular components, such as a nucleus4 (these are not found in plastids where endosymbiosis is thought to have reached completion). In a news article about the findings, one biologist commented, "Whatever you need to make that [the algal symbiont] a permanent part is not occurring here. Maybe in a hundred millions [sic] years it will figure it out.'5"
Re: Any SOLID arguments against evolution?
AFJ, you had such good questions I had to answer them with what I have.
Human speciation seriously has an Adam and Eve in it. Phylogenetics helps reconstruct them. From the theory:
Even where one believes Adam and Eve is just a made up story, the common metaphor still applies. What makes us "human" is thus described in the Bible and Quran.
The theory also has mineral dust/clay metabolism, one of the four requirements to produce intelligence.
From my experience "creating" computer models of this intelligence it is so "autonomous" it does not even care what I its "creator" tell it to do. I would just be talking to the computer. That does not change what it does in the virtual world we see through the video screen. But I don't mind that it does what it wants to do it's one of the properties of the way it works. Would be nice though for it to have the intelligence to wonder whether they have a creator pushing buttons from somewhere they can't see. Emergent "intelligent cause" could do that to us from molecular intelligence on up to human intelligence where our one lifetime is its next thought, sort of speak. Scientists estimated it is over 3 billion years old, which makes it possible for what seems to us to be a long time between thoughts, no problem at all when it lives so much longer than that we are just a brief moment. I cannot say whether molecular intelligence like this could be conscious, but that would explain where our consciousness is emergent from. Please let me know of any evidence anyone might think of.
I now reconcile Science and Genesis by considering it a thousands of year old scientific theory. None know how it was written down. But I expect scientists to be the first to be there for that event, however it happened. In this way science and religion are like one in the same. Our search for knowledge of where we came from and will go emergent from the genome that responds with high confidence pleasure chemistry similar to "love" even sex that we can feel. All that we are is inherent to in all other levels that produce the phenomena the ID movement calls "intelligent cause". And it's coherent enough that accomplished scientists are not afraid to add what they can for new information. Any Creationist who figures all that has my and I am sure their respect for having accomplished that. When this intelligent cause is at the molecular intelligence compared to age of our human intelligence a number like 6000 years old looks about right to me. It is here the "day to the lord" that scriptures describes. What science gives us for a date multiplies by time relative to the human intelligence doing the measuring. Or in other words there are two entirely separate time frames, the one that our brain experiences and the one an intelligent cause would experience.
I reconcile Science and Religion with K-12 level science that even takes the Y forking from great-ape-48 right out of the classroom. Instead have Chromosomal Adam and Eve helping to explain what it is to be "human" and where it all began.
What do you think of that answer AFJ?
Re: Any SOLID arguments against evolution?
Mr. Gary, wanted to answer you. I didn't really understand the point about Adam and Eve, are you trying to show where death originated and that the Bible symbolically uses Adam and Eve for the telomere theory of aging or is it an indirect explanation of how we came from primates, going from 48 to 46 chromosomes? http://www.telomere.net/ (read telemere theory of animal aging)
Some comments: You started with an article that says--
No.1--The telomeres are for the PREVENTION and PROTECTION from the very first thing they are trying to put forth. It sometimes happens? What are the beneficial results? They give no examples.
No.2--Telomeres are the "knot" at the end of the chromosomes which protect "the chromosomes from fusing into rings, or binding haphazardly to other DNA in the cell nucleus." Check telomere.net the first paragraph.
They are speaking as if the genome has a will and intelligence--it can't guess! According to evolutionary thought, through unguided and unconscious, and unintelligent mutation this would take place. And IF it does not work, then it will be a genetic disorder--something of which there is scientific proof. Again, according to evolution, NS will then work to eliminate it, or it will stay in the population as a genetic disorder. Can you show me an instance of where these chromosomes fuse without causing a genetic disorder? Please give me research, sir.
Exodus 19 and 20 Moses goes up the mountain in Sinai to God to receive the 10 commandments. He made several trips, the last one for 40 days. It was there that Moses recieved much of the law, and Genesis. 15 And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. 16 Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets. Exodus 32:15,16
Some of the scripture is just history. You can not interpret historical events--you either believe it or you don't. If I tell someone "I went to California on a train," they will probably believe me--they do not interpret it-- because it is an event and it is believable. But if I tell someone "I went to Uranus on a space ship," they will not believe me--but they still will not interpret anything but that I am crazy (lol). In our history it says that Abraham Lincoln was shot by an John Wilkes Booth. There is no room for interpretation in this. I either believe it or not. The problem is not interpretation but weather you believe the historical facts of scripture as they are put forth.
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Kraus KPF-2210 Single Lever Pull Out Kitchen Faucet Chrome
Kraus KPF-2220 Single Lever Pull Out Kitchen Faucet Chrome
Kraus KPF-2230CH Single Lever Pull Out Kitchen Faucet Chrome
Kraus KPF-2230ORB Single Lever Pull Out Kitchen Faucet Oil Rubbed Bronze
Kraus KPF-2240CH Single Lever Pull Out Kitchen Faucet Chrome
Kraus FVS-1002 Sheven Single Lever Vessel Faucet Chrome
Kraus FVS-1005 Riviera Single Lever Vessel Faucet Chrome
Kraus FVS-1007 Ramus Single Lever Vessel Faucet Chrome
The Kraus faucets collection represents a reinvention of customary designs that have been updated to meet the new standards of modern aesthetics. Kraus achieves this objective by continuously researching the market's latest trends and styles, and by regularly assessing consumers evolving tastes and preferences. Their kitchen and bathroom faucet collections reveal the industry's best sellers and customers' top picks, verifying the trusted craftsmanship of the Kraus brand.
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Kraus Kitchen Faucets
Kraus kitchen faucets are offered in a variety of designs ranging from standard to gooseneck to compression-styled to accommodate all sink configurations. Gooseneck kitchen faucets exhibit long bodies that lead up to a high arched spout. This elevated spout is as trendy as it is functional, and allows homeowners to easily slide large pots under the spout's mouth for cleaning or cooking purposes. The compression-styled kitchen faucet possesses a gooseneck structure but adds on a unique uncoiling spring spout design. This gadgets and gizmos simulating look is equipped with a retractable pull-out hose and 180 degree spout swivel for complete sink access. No matter which style suits your liking, all Kraus kitchen faucets are constructed from 16 gauge grade T-304 stainless steel to ensure all homeowners a reliable, well-made product.
Kraus Bathroom Faucets
Similar to their kitchen counterpart, Kraus bathroom faucets bear either a stainless steel or solid brass construction that assures every homeowner a quality made fixture. Kraus bathroom faucets also come in various contemporary innovative designs including bamboo, an upside down "U", and the strikingly beautiful waterfall model. These unique models are the perfect accessories that amply parallel the magnificence of glass vessel sinks. Furthermore, shoppers can choose to purchase their bathroom faucet in several optional finishes including chrome, satin nickel, antique brass, gold, and oil rubbed bronze.
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text:
Tech Data is a distributor of IT hardware and software in Europe and throughout the Americas. The company generates approximately $25 billion in annual revenue via operations in more than 100 countries, so currency risk is a significant concern. Five years ago, Tech Data mitigated this risk through $8 billion a year worth of foreign exchange (FX) hedges, executed daily across 18 currency pairs. The hedging process provided the desired protection, but it was not standardized or centralized, which led to inefficiencies.
The company's senior vice president and treasurer, Chuck Dannewitz, launched an initiative to change that. Treasury & Risk spoke with Dannewitz, along with vice president and assistant treasurer Scott Walker, about the project and the FX hedging best practices that Tech Data implemented.
T&R: Prior to 2008, what did FX hedging look like at Tech Data?
Chuck Dannewitz: We have a central treasury team, comprised of 21 individuals, and we also have approximately 20 employees who divide their time between treasury and accounting within our various business units across Europe, Latin America, Canada, and the U.S. They report to the business units' financial directors, and they're the ones who performed all our FX hedging.
Previously, we had a centralized FX policy, and corporate treasury would review the results and provide oversight, but essentially each country handled its own foreign exchange. The business units' treasury staff would pull information from our SAP ERP [enterprise resource planning] system to determine their FX exposures for the day. They would then call two of our FX trading partners and obtain quotes, select the best cost alternative, and enter into a hedge. The methods of obtaining and aggregating information to arrive at our total FX exposures for the day varied, country by country.
T&R: What was Tech Data's FX volume?
CD: Our FX volume was estimated to be approximately $30 million a day. A large majority of that volume occurred in Europe.
T&R: What were some of the challenges this environment created?
CD: There were several challenges. First, it was difficult to share best practices because our processes were not standardized across countries. Second, a number of those processes were performed manually in Excel spreadsheets, so there was a potential for data entry errors. And finally, trades didn't always happen at exactly the right time, which is an important factor when trading currencies.
T&R: Why weren't trades timed right? Because some of the processes weren't efficient?
CD: Different processes, different priorities. Treasury wasn't the only focus for those individuals managing FX hedging for the company; they all had a number of responsibilities. We might ask them to have their trades completed by 11 a.m., but their attention could, at times, be diverted to something else, and it might delay the trade to 2 or 3 p.m. If an FX trade slips to later in the day in a country like Poland or the Czech Republic, where the currency is more volatile and thinly traded, we might not hit the right liquidity window.
Also, we didn't have a large breadth of expertise. If one person was sick or on vacation, there might not be someone knowledgeable enough in treasury processes to fill in. Trades might shift to the next day. Most companies set a hedge rate and then hedge once a month or every two weeks. If we slipped from one day to the next, it was still good practice. It just wasn't best practice.
T&R: How did central treasury provide oversight of FX trading in this environment?
CD: We had an information system through which individuals would manually post data about FX exposures and the corresponding hedges in the various currencies. Unfortunately, we would get that information with a lag of at least one day.
T&R: You started this project in 2008. Was the global financial crisis also a factor?
CD: Currency volatility around that time really highlighted the importance of timely, accurate data. During that time, the euro-dollar exchange rate moved approximately 10 percent in one week, underscoring the need for better systems.
T&R: How did you get started with the FX transformation?
CD: Our treasury team initiated the project. We brought together a diverse group—including individuals from the functional operating groups, accounting, tax, and IT—and we did a thorough review of our practices. We asked: Are we hedging the right things? Are we capturing all the business opportunities? Are there any other things we should be hedging that we're missing? Is our policy correct? We thoroughly analyzed the entire process to identify anything that was not considered best practice.
T&R: What did you do with the results of that analysis?
CD: We spoke to consultants and other companies and found that best practice is a centralized function performing FX hedges for the entire group. We recognized that we needed more visibility on a day-to-day basis, as well. We wanted to be able to net trades, and to reconcile our FX trades so we could evaluate how much is the bid-offer spread, and determine how much is just cost and how much is an actual currency gain or loss. We needed visibility into the causes of FX gains and losses, and whether they are expected or unexpected, so when unexpected losses occur, we can determine what went wrong and come up with a different hedging strategy.
T&R: Did you have this kind of visibility before?
CD: Not to the extent we do now, and not as timely. It took much more effort to obtain this information.
T&R: So, how did you build better visibility into your FX hedging process?
CD: One of the first things we did was roll out FiREapps, which is software that automatically pulls FX information out of our SAP system and aggregates the information, providing us with a net exposure worldwide for each of the currency pairs hedged. At that point, the trades were still decentralized, but every country was using FiREapps. We also implemented FXall, which is an automated trading platform that provides quotes from numerous banks. It took us approximately a year and a half to fully implement the software solutions and related processes.
T&R: Did you eventually end up centralizing your FX trades to achieve best practices?
CD: Yes. Once we had everything working well on a decentralized basis, we launched phase two of our project, which brought all the trades into our centralized treasury group and also created an in-house bank.
T&R: So, how does FX hedging work now at Tech Data?
CD: Now we have five individuals who handle FX hedging for all of Europe. FiREapps aggregates the data seamlessly, so we have clear visibility on our exposures early in the day. The FX team reviews, country by country, the trades that can be netted on an aggregated basis, then uses FXall to place external trades where necessary.
SW: We have a lot of internal trades, obviously, due to the netting. Those all settle through our in-house bank, which is part of the FSCM [Financial Supply Chain Management] module of our SAP ERP system. This eliminates the need to transfer funds unnecessarily back and forth through third-party banks. Once external trades are executed, they are also automatically uploaded into our in-house bank.
T&R: Are the 20 people in the business units doing any FX hedging anymore?
SW: At this point, very little. They are making sure their books are up-to-date and accurate in SAP, ensuring accounts are correctly designated as FX accounts for FiREapps to pull from so the exposures reported are accurate. But beyond that, it's all handled centrally. We've eliminated approximately two hours of work each day for our in-country personnel, and when multiplied by 20 people, it adds up. The centralization and automation allow them to focus on value-added activities for their business unit, rather than on gathering and consolidating FX data.
Centralizing also provides the corporate treasury team a better view into what is actually going on in-country. We can ask much better questions. We've had some significant wins, just through that process alone. For example, we noticed in some countries a significant portion of trading activity was purely for cash management needs and not real exposure management. This clarified a focus area on some of our cash forecasting process improvements and allowed us to reallocate cash among the different countries, to where the particular currency was needed, without transacting unnecessary FX or changing underlying exposures.
T&R: What other benefits have you realized by centralizing FX hedging?
CD: For one, we always have coverage in terms of staffing. There is no longer a skill gap in a certain country when someone goes on vacation. Second, we've developed substantial capabilities in the FX group. Before, we had experts in certain locations, but as people left and we replaced them, the amount of expertise varied. It's much easier to have a strong team of specialists when it's centralized.
Another major benefit is that our volume of FX trading has come down dramatically. In the past, we had 21 different entities in Europe, and each might be placing different trades—some long euros, some short euros. Now we net everything. So on a given day we may have 40 million of long euro and 20 million of short euro against the U.S. dollar, and we'll place one trade for 20 million. Our goal was to cut our trading volume in half, and we are on track to achieve that. We're on a run rate to save €1.5 million this year, or almost $2 million, simply by netting across countries and eliminating the duplicate hedges. And because of the in-house bank, we are saving on wires and other third-party bank fees as well.
T&R: Are you also getting better exchange rates?
SW: As we are receiving the information earlier in the morning, we are obtaining the optimal exchange rates because we're hitting the window on the best liquidity in the market.
The other important benefit of our new process is that it is scalable, so it can flex with us as we grow. If we have an acquisition, we don't have to spend a lot of time training the new staff on our FX policies.
CD: We made an acquisition late last year, and once we converted the acquired business onto our SAP system, it was very easy to connect them to FiREapps. Our centralized team was able to begin handling their FX hedging very quickly.
T&R: How did you convince the business units around the world to get on board with this project?
SW: One important factor was that we assigned a dedicated treasury person to the project. That showed our commitment to making this change, and I think it's always important for the department that is leading a project to provide a dedicated resource.
CD: We also focused up-front on communicating with all the various departments that were impacted by this project, particularly at the country level. We explained, first, that we would be saving them time; second, we would be obtaining more accurate data; and finally, we would be saving them FX costs that were impacting their P&Ls. Centralizing FX trading was a win-win, and as soon as the business units understood that, they fully supported it.
For more information about Tech Data's FX hedging process, join Treasury & Risk for a webcast on Thursday, September 19.


text:
Robert Allan Jones, Janesville, WI (1954-2014)
December 11, 1954 - March 10, 2014
Robert A. Jones, age 59, a longtime resident of Janesville, passed away Monday morning, March 10, 2014, at Alden Meadow Park Nursing Home, Clinton, following an extended illness. Bob was born Dec. 11, 1954, in Monroe, WI, the oldest child of the late Allan E. and Joanne E. (Dammen) Jones. He attended school in Janesville, and was a graduate of Janesville Parker High School, Class of 1973. He, then, attended UW-Whitewater. While in high school and in college, Bob was a member of the gymnastics teams. He worked in Quality Control, ultimately becoming a Supervisor, for Prent Co. for over 20 years. He, then, moved to Michigan in 1999, where he worked for the Huhtamaki Plastics Co. in Coleman, MI. He returned to Janesville in February 2012, due to health issues. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and bowling. He loved nothing better than spending time with his family and friends sitting around a good campfire! Bob was a past member of the Loyal Order of Moose. He also had been a member of First Lutheran Church. Bob will be remembered as a person who made lasting, lifelong friendships. He loved each and every one of his family and friends!
Bob is survived by his son, Benjamin R. Jones of Janesville; his two brothers, Richard (Kelly) Jones of Milton, WI, and Gary Jones of South Whitley, IN; his sister, Jan Hom, of Phoenix, AZ; his nieces and nephews: Lauren (Alex) Kreibich, Taylor (Isaac) Bamgbose, Aaron and Emily Jones, Brad (Ruby) Hom, and Matt Hom; his former wife and very dear friend, Sheila Butters Jones of Janesville; and by many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents.
A Memorial Service to celebrate Bob's life will be held at 2 P.M. on Saturday, March 22, 2014, at the WHITCOMB-LYNCH FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, with Rev. James Melvin officiating. Private interment will take place at a later date. Friends may call on Saturday from 1 until 2 P.M. A luncheon will follow immediately after the service in the Community Room of the FUNERAL HOME.
Ben and Sheila would like to extend their sincerest thanks to the wonderful staffs of UW Hospital & Clinics, the Carbone Cancer Center, Alden Meadow Park Nursing Home, and St. Jude Hospice, for the loving care and compassion shown to them and Bob during his illness.
Whitcomb-Lynch Funeral Home & Cremation Services
21 S. Austin Rd., (608)752-2444


text:
1. Are women present or represented at all?
2. Are the women presented as active subjects rather than passive objects?, and
3. If the gender were reversed, would the meaning stay more or less unchanged? (Or would the image become hilarious?)
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Wednesday, September 19, 2012
The Risky Business of Attracting Women
61 comments:
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 12:36 PM
I had a mixed reaction to the bike belong poster when I saw it yesterday and am glad you helped me find language to articulate why. Excellent post.ReplyDelete
Given that "marketing to women" assumes one set of values and aesthetics based upon chromosomes I think the convo is misguided. They are different ad campaigns designed to appeal to different people within "women".ReplyDelete
Shame some "bloggists" have to raise a ruckus over adverts with the term "sexist" when I see cougars, artificially enhanced everyone, value-less gold-diggers rampant in this country. Yes, historically-quoted images like the one above are shocking. Puh-lease puritans who dress in Pollyanna clothing and do naked bike rides.Replies
- MaxUtilitySeptember 19, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Your first paragraph actually makes a very good point. The notion of "marketing to women" assumes a single unified consumer block that simply doesn't exist. As with men, different women want different things and like all companies, the bike industry will have to do a better job understanding, making products for, and marketing to them.Delete
Unfortunately, your second paragraph is somewhat incoherent other than to give the general impression that you feel "gold diggers" are a huge nationwide problem and using women primarily as sexual objects in advertising should not be criticized.
I got no problem with sex, sex used in adverts, nudity, etc.Delete
Nor do I have a particular prob with fake breasts.
I'm just not gonna be breaking bread with a person who is ersatz, s'all.
I see more flesh exposed on this blog than that chica in the top poster.
I think the msg. here is if you are drop-dead gorgeous don't wear anything but a burlap sack.
For the record, I don't dislike this particular poster. Got one of their bags with this picture (they are handing them out in the front lobby, for anyone here who wants one); will be using it for grocery shopping. Other skirt & heels images - it just really depends on the picture. Some I like, others not so much.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 12:37 PM
I think part of the complication in "hitting the right note" is that nobody can agree if a bike is a toy, transportation, or a fashion accessory. The criteria are different for all. I don't see women driving exclusively pink cars with flowers on them. I think one place to start would be to offer a bike design that is just more... tasteful. I think a lot of women would very much prefer something to look "nice" and well considered than for it to look "girly." And red, black and yellow with garish logos is not anyone's idea of "nice."ReplyDeleteReplies
You're absolutely right, 12:37. Some of us simply don't want comic-book graphics and color schemes. We want bikes and clothing that appeal to our sensibilities as grown-up human beings who happen to be female.Delete
I've come to realize that "girly" and "feminine" aren't quite the same thing. Many of us want the latter, but not necessarily the former.
As far as bike colors go, my wife was looking fora bike at a Trek Store in KC and was frustrated that girl's bikes didn't come in colors she as a girl considers girlie. Pink, Purple, patterns, etc. Eventually she bought an FX that was a light shade of blue, but ultimately she kept asking me why don't they make girls bikes in girl girls. I'd love to know the real answer to that. Can you imagine if clothing stores made 99% of women's clothing to mimic male clothing? Can we stop pretending every girl that rides a bike is out to prove there is no difference between the genders?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 12:57 PM
Please share with us your insights. Why did you initially buy bikes and then why did you replace them with others? What do you think now vs. when you started this blog? How would you attract women to cycling?ReplyDelete
I saw some of the discussion about whether that poster passes the "bike test" and my gut feeling is that it does.ReplyDelete
However I think that it's hard to articulate what the equivalent outfit for a man would be. Would it be a man in a slimly tailored suit? Is that "sexy? Or is a suit a symbol of power and respectability? Would it be your example of short shorts and an open shirt, or in our society does that send a different message?
It's so difficult to define what's attractive in our society, and there's a big gender/sexual orientation gap in the correlation of tight or revealing clothes to "sexyness" Maybe a solution when trying to create an image which would pass the test with flying colors would be to make images of men and women together, dressed in clothing that "goes together"
i.e. men and women both in full kit, men and women in casual clothes, men and women dressed up in office appropriate clothes..
To the larger question of marketing clothes/ color schemes to women, I think that the biggest thing is for women to have options, which I'm not sure they're getting now. Some women want flowers on their clothes, others don't. Some women are smaller, some are larger, and we have a wide variety of curviness. Clothes that are "athletically cut" are not flattering on a lot of women. Heck, I think that some "athletically cut" clothes are not flattering on a lot of very athletic women- I'm imagining the Williams sisters trying to fit into anything from the north face.
It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem though for manufacturers. Women are a diverse market (as are men) but when they treat women as a "niche" they want a formula, and they're unwilling to commit to a larger variety of products when they're not sure how large the market is.Replies
I want your last paragraph trumpeted from the rooftops.Delete
I put that "pained, sexy expression" on a man and I see this face: http://thecount.com/wp-content/uploads/PeeWeeBike.jpgReplyDelete
I think with a slightly different interpretation of #3, this is a sexist ad. Even if the man has an open shirt and unshaven face, he's not wearing things that actually hinder him having a positive and safe experience on a bike. As far as I'm concerned, high heels only exist to painfully distort women's bodies into some male fantasy and that keep them from running away from a predator. That flowing skirt on a bike? Nice enough if you can keep it out of your gears. And no helmet -- better a cracked skull than a bad hair day, I guess.ReplyDeleteReplies
I think it's sexist, too, because of the "male gaze" perspective of it. This is not the way most women actually cycle (or even could, probably); it's the straight male fantasy of how a woman could look hot on a bike.Delete
The jury is out on whether helmets make cycling safer (I think it does, but others disagree) and as the cycle in question has a chain guard and hub gears there should be no problem with getting the skirt caught.Largely agree about the high heels on a bike, but one does see them.Delete
I have a 20 year old who is doing Computer Science in London and her choice of cycle is the Pashley Poppy in Pink. Declared 'Chick Bike of the Year' by one female blogger. The dealer told us that there is a North/South divide on the colour in the UK. Women in the South (where I believe the chattering classes chatter more) prefer the Poppy in Pastel Blue while up North Pink is the preference. As we are from Yorkshire, her choice seems to have fallen in line with this.
Have you ever seen one of the Cycle Chic blogs, this one in particular: http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com? Women, "girls", ride in the outfits shown there because they like it, not because they are forced to by their menfolk.Delete
It sometimes starts early, too: http://schlijper.nl/120927-01-theo-van-goghpark.photoDelete
Hot Stuff Comin' Through!ReplyDelete
Seriously, athletic shoe manufacturers seem to have solved the female color problem.
Also, both men and women are objects and need to accept their object natures. Women can and do do this more readily, powerfully, and profitably than men because female objectification is more socially acceptable. When a man openly displays himself as an object he is ridiculed for being less than masculine. Think of the idea of male fashion models. Contrary to popular feminist discourse, most women enjoy indulging their object natures although I can see how it could at times interfere with their development and agency as subjects. It has not always been this way. English men of the Victorian era were peacocks, as were others throughout the Baroque era, for example. Being a man today is, in comparison, kind of a drag (no pun intended).
Can we stop pretending every girl that rides a bike is out to prove there is no difference between the genders?ReplyDelete
Good point, Hough.
When I built up a new Soma mixte for my wife last year, she was disappointed it didn't come in more "feminine" colors. She clearly wanted it to be distinctly as a woman's bike, yet consistent with Velouria's statement, she didn't want it *too* feminine, either. Which is to say, pink and powder puffy would have been out of the question. The only options were white and graphite, and she chose the more masculine graphite. But had it been offered in an interesting lavender or some other pale tone, she might have gone with that instead.Replies
I was turned off the buena vista because at the time it was only in white. White or graphite, no thanks. Soma's other bikes come in various colours, why not the buena vista? I would certainly not want pink, but just what the diamond frame bikes were offered in. Also, the buena vista is tange infinity while most of Soma's bikes are prestige. There is no reason why a mixte has to be made with heavier tubing. That in itself is sexist to assume women won't know the difference between infinity and prestige.Delete
As much as I hate to admidt it, the orange and blue of the VO mixte wasn't feminine enough for me either. Soft colours are a great way to be feminine with out it looking like the target market is my three year old who wants hot pink. Lavender (esp metallic) soft greens or pale blues would be nice. I think that this is something that Bobbin does well.Delete
I know this is pots and not bikes, but this gal did a nice job of explaining how colour options impact her perception of the product. And as much as this is kind of silly, I would be happy with a bike in pretty much any of the Le Creuset colours
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 2:04 PM
I have a hot pink beach cruiser with cherries all over it; can't get girlier than that! Yet I can be girly for some things and not for others, and perhaps many women are the same way. Some will want girly colour bikes and others more neutral.ReplyDelete
I think the main point that a commentator made is that women want overall nice design. I my opinion the big stickers compagnies put on their bicycles are not appealing. And perhaps consider more "round" shape for the frame. If I take cars as a reference, the Twingo by Renault in France was one of the first modern "round" cars and was a hit with women, not so much for the colours, but for the "unagressive" shape.
As for the clothes again, I don't think it is a question about colour, but more the fit. Women have breasts and some have muffin tops and they have a choice to either cycle in their regular clothes, or if they do it as a sport, wear tight shorts or pants and tight shirts. This is all good if you want to do the Tour de France, but if you want to ride a few miles with friends, will the clothes really impact your time that much?
It may seem trivial and stupid (and perhaps I'm totally wrong) but I do believe these are questions manufacturers should ask themselves.
Bicycling does not have to either be a casual way to commute or a sport, it can be something in between.
Well, I for one reject the idea that all male cyclists want a "masculine" colored bike (black or gray) and all female cyclists want a brightly colored one. My (male) partner has a navy blue bike (that he doesn't much care for), a metallic green one, and an orange one (these are custom, so he chose these colors himself). When I (female) bought a bike recently, I chose the most comfortable one, which happened to be blue (though the comfort is why I chose it, not the color).ReplyDelete
Why is it so hard to find a WSD road bike in interesting colors? I just bought one and consider myself relatively fortunate that it's light blue and white and flower-free, but I would much prefer to have bright red or green or otherwise less "girly." Is that so much to ask?ReplyDelete
First, they're not high heels - you should see what some of the people in my office wear. Granted, they don't ride a bike to work - but the point stands.ReplyDelete
Second, my wife certainly wants a bike that's feminine and pretty. Maybe not dust pink and flowery, but she's certainly after the Parisian chic look, complete with flowing dress and baguette. (Unfortunately, while my wife is certainly chic enough to carry this off, I'm a bit mean and insist we get another few months use out of the rusting Decathlon bike that appears to be made out of scaffolding.)
Third, there's nothing wrong with accepting that men and women want different things.
There's a post on &Bike (fair disclosure: &Bike is, well, erm, my site) by Rachel Buchan who looks at women cycling jerseys. She wants performance and fit, but she also wants feminine.
'Nowt wrong with that.
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 3:37 PM
So, after looking at your photo I clicked on the Bikes Belong website and found a more balanced, less provocative, collection of images meant to promote cycling. I'm wondering, did they make this poster? Are they trying to be provocative, or are you?ReplyDelete
I see Path Less Pedaled is also there and posting many images of products as well as insights about their designs. Ultimately, it seems like making cycling attractive to old, young, male, female requires a many pronged approach.Replies
It is definitely a Bikes belong poster. I talked to them about it, and it does not seem they were trying to be provocative. They commissioned the design from an artist to resemble a retro cycling picture. They are also giving away gift bags with the same image.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 8:53 PM
now I wonder if the creators of this image are cyclists.Delete
My first reaction to the picture of the purple bikes was "oooh - so purty," lol.ReplyDelete
Personally, a lot of my mixed feelings about images of women in high heels and binding underwear riding bikes come from the fear that this small part of femininity will once again become the sole definition of femininity. When it comes to cycling, the message I want to see is "this is fun and accessible and you can do it in any style you like" rather than "this is what you need to do/buy/wear to be an appealing female cyclist."Replies
I like the dark purple Felts.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 4:20 PM
Interesting. There seems to be a consensus that bikes are indeed fashion accessories and need to come in different "colorways." I wonder, what color would a toaster have to be to get more men to buy them? another thing - in Amster-hagen, where bikes are seen as far more functional and less frivolous, neither gender seems at all concerned with bike gender. Most of the bikes are black, and men ride step-through frames as often as not. Is this issue unique to the US market?ReplyDelete
It occurs to me that things are time- (or perhaps era-) bounded here as well. In 1980, fresh out of college, my girlfriend and I did not consider cycling (or very much else, honestly) to be gender-specific. We both dressed in jeans and t-shirts, my 10-speed was blue, hers was green (both were double-diamond frames. No big deal. I put toeclips and straps on my bike, she did the same with hers.ReplyDelete
Not that there wasn't sexism. I remember one night when her bike wasn't shifting properly and I grabbed my tools and walked over to fix the problem. She yelled at me to keep away, that *she* was going to fix it. Taught me a lot right there.
I don't know, but I do suspect, that our modern approach to the gender of bicycles and bicycling has a lot to do precisely with surplus income, marketing and consumerism. In 1980, it didn't matter to us who had made the bikes; all that mattered was that they were how we got around and that they worked reliably. Today, we want the bikes to look good and work, not just reliably, but gracefully and elegantly. Ephemera like frame color (honestly) matters more because it's harder and harder to make substantive distinctions (most bikes beyond BSOs work pretty well today, and even BSOs are adequate for some things).
I think we are, to a large extent, hooked on the idea not of what we're riding, but of "the next bike." That's where marketing comes in, and that's why colors are important...
I am female and I detest pastels and "feminine" colors. Flowers make me see red. Those colors, say weak and stereotype to me. I'd personally like to see all sizes of bikes in just really nice colors - not gender specific. BTW, Last year a local shop owner brought back a poster of a Rita Hayworth type model reclining suggestively on a bed of straw beside her bike, which was lying next to her. This was not intended for the female market.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 6:07 PM
Ugh, I do NOT think the bike industry needs more women like Liz Hatch, I find her appalling. Way to take women's natural power and athleticism away and make it about sex. Truly strong and athletic girls never look "sexy" in the way that media portrays sexy, and it's just a blow to our self esteem. I hate to see cycling become yet another area for it. I love seeing real women excelling on bikes and getting recognized as athletes. Why can't THAT be the way we recognize women in a sport. It makes me so, so, so sad to see otherwise.ReplyDelete
@Thomas--I will NEVER accept my object nature. I am not an object, neither is any man. People are not things. You might think it's a drag that the men aren't objects the way women are, but I feel quite to the contrary. I wish my gender wasn't always on display. I don't WANT to be whistled at while riding my bicycle, and I'm certain most women agree.
As for coloring on bicycles...I think pink should be acceptable on any bike (even a man's), and I actually really like pink color schemes. I just think most brands go overboard with the pastel colors--like light blue, and light pink. I love hot pink on a bike, though. I also like gender neutral bikes.
I think Specialized specifically does a great job with women's color schemes. http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road#womens They also happen to fit me, personally, very well. AND they sponsor a great and strong looking women's cycling team! Seeing women like that makes me personally more interested in road cycling and in turn their products--which means their marketing is working on at least one woman. I actually always liked the look of Felt bikes, too, but for me it's more than just about color--it's about the other things a company does to appeal to me, like women's specific fitting and design elements.
Everyone wants a bike that is reflective of their identity, whether it's masculine/feminine/sporty/casual. But for some reason we tend to otherize a woman's identity more than anything else. Like cycler said, woman are such a diverse group--companies have to make different options to cater to different women--and they just don't seem to be willing to do that yet.
I'm not sure why more companies don't use something like Bianchi's celeste in their color scheme (maybe something a little different for branding of course)--both men and women go gaga for it! I know I do.Replies
The flourishing market for women's cosmetics and fashion says you are wrong, Anon, and there is no way you can be "certain most women agree", not by a long shot. Be an object and accept your object nature. There is nothing wrong with it; it is just a natural fact. I am an object and so are you. So is everyone. You are not only objects for we are subjects too, but we are objects nonetheless.Delete
Just because an athlete is female, does not mean she has a responsibility to *not* be sexy. Again, the Mario Cipollini example.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 20, 2012 at 3:40 AM
You can wear makeup and dress fashionably and still not want to be objectified.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 6:32 PM
so i guess the question is for each customer attracted to a product how many are repelled?ReplyDelete
That poster is very very sexist. It's all cartoonish, proportions out of whack. She's all tall lithe and leggy. I am sure you know what happens to legs when they bike alot, women are especially prone to 'thunder thighs' not present on this illustration. Is she standing up and pedalling? But her feet aren't touching the pedals properly and seem to be floating. Not even looking at the road. A flirty, sexy red dress. I wear skirts and dresses, but they never billow like that, and it's always breezy and cool while biking so I usually have a sweater, hoodie or jacket on unless it is really hot. I like any other cyclist am busy concentrating on the road, not flirting with drivers as they pass in their cars. There is a trek advertisement for a new women's bike that is really sexist. Like you say, it's all in the cues. Does it look like the woman is actually riding a bike, or going somewhere on the bike with the appropriate gear?ReplyDelete
The whole high heels thing is a problem. Momentum magazine keeps flogging that with pictures of one of the editor's feet wearing various high heels. Some heels are okay, but honestly, is it really safe and practical? There may be shoes I can manage on a bike, but they can become unsafe, slippery etc which create a slow overly cautious ride. okay if just going to a party nearby. As regular cyclists there are many women who ride clipless, so even if they could wear a dressy outfit, they'd still be taking their shoes with them in a bag.
There are so many versions of feminine, so many different styles regardless of sex. Bike companies should simply ask women what colours they would like to see on bikes, average them out, pick the most common and offer them as choices. I personally hate pastels and light frilly colours for my clothing.Replies
To be fair, I think everyone's legs are different. I know plenty of cyclists with very slender legs. That said, yes it's a cartoon.Delete
As for practicality/safety of heels: Given that millions women in Europe and increasingly also in the US do it, I'd say yes. And the women who do it will quickly point out that it's easier to bike in heels than walk.
- AnonymousSeptember 20, 2012 at 1:39 AM
Cycling does not cause bulk. Bradley Wiggins is 6'3" and weighs 150 pounds. That's what a cyclist looks like.
In my part of the world the fast rider is a lady named Leigh Thompson. Fast as in she beats all the men. She is quite photogenic and a World Champion and you can find photo galleries of her all over the webs. The first thing you'll note in her photos is she just has no visible musculature. None. And she beats all the local men. Not those in her category. All of them. I should also mention that Leigh is old enough to be V's mother.
If you mash gears all the time you'll get big legs. If on the other hand you pedal at all correctly one of the tokens of a cyclist is long lean calves. Cycling is not caber toss. It is not WWF. Leigh Thompson is fast without muscle because she pedals beautifully. Grace and style will trump beef every time.
If you want to be a specialist in the kilometer or in match sprinting you will likely end up with some bulk. Although there have been a lot of skinny sprinters. Otherwise when cyclists get bulky it's because they ride clumsily. And don't know where the target is.
I bike year round in skirts and heels of varying fullness and height. After 6 years of commuting in Boston, 5 since even a minor accident (which actually happened while I was clipped in), I don't think that there's anything inherently unsafe about riding a city bike in heels and skirts. I might not ride in super skinny stilettos or pencil skirts, but fortunately I don't have many of those in my closet anyway.Delete
Yes, I might ride faster if I clipped in and rode in kit, but I don't feel the need, especially to work. I haven't considered myself an athlete since I stopped running marathons years ago.
I wouldn't fault anyone for what shoes they liked and felt comfortable in, on or off the bike, I'm all about choices, and I hope that advocacy organizations can be too. Sport cycling is not the only way to be a real cyclist, nor is chic cycling, nor is transportation cycling. And there are lots of people (Velouria being a prime example) who ride different bikes differently in different clothes for different purposes.
This is hard to market to in one image, and as I believe someone posted above there are multiple images in the Bikes Belong campaign.
- AnonymousSeptember 21, 2012 at 6:27 AM
sigh, why is it always about looks and appearances and about the size of thighs with us women. guys want big muscular thighs to look powerful, and we want skinny ones to look good to guys. so sad. i'm a 105 lb woman btw, but i feel bad for the big sporty girls that might read some of these comments.Delete
i think this was a pretty good response to the representation of women at interbike: http://bicycling.com/blogs/fitchick/2012/09/18/an-open-letter-to-interbike/
Thanks for the link (here is a clickable version). This is the second time Selene Yeager and I write about the same topic from different perspectives. There are indeed bikini-clad LV style glamour girls at Interbike selling various products and bikes. The funny thing is that I've heard men here complain about it as well as women.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 9:25 PM
The coolest thing in my neck of the woods with regard to attracting women to cycling is the number of women working in bike shops. I can think of four shops within about a ten mile radius and there must be close to a dozen women (or more!) who are knowledgable, experienced and friendly now greeting customers and providing assistance. They are not all racers and have a variety of backgrounds but one thing held in common is a commitment to cycling and sharing their enthusiasm. With more women opening up shops, building bikes, designing products, and of course commuting, I think good things are coming. Of course this is not marketing but, rather, living.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 10:48 PM
I like the poster. I says to me that I don't have to change who I am and what I wear because I want to get from point A to point B on a bike. Not all people who ride bikes consider themselves athletes (or even athletic). It took me years to move from thinking that my commute would be simpler and cheaper by bike to actually purchasing a bike - because all I could see out-and-about were lycra clad roadies and that wasn't appealing to me. I ride my bike in whatever clothes and shoes I'm wearing that day, skirts or pants, heels or flats. In fact the only shoes I've ever had problems with were a pair of ballet flats with smooth soles.ReplyDelete
I think the poster a great point for discussion though, because it clearly appeals to some women and not others, and the bike industry should understand that not all women are the same. Some love pink, some hate pink, some are sporty and feminine and want to reflect both in their choice of bike and clothing. Good job Velouria - I think this is an important issue.
Another way to look at that poster, particularly given the type of bike portrayed, is that it says that riding a bicycle is fun and sexy and something that conventionally attractive people do while wearing conventionally fashionable clothing; as opposed to something limited to fitness freaks, scruffy-bearded hipsters, and diehard fanatics in funny-looking sport-specific superhero suits. And in a way, the spindly legs and barbie-doll proportions actually contribute to the idea that bicycling is easy and fun if even a skinny bimbo can enjoy it, where a muscle-bound amazon (or a man, for that matter) could make it look like something only some people can do.ReplyDelete
Yeah, she's an object. She's in an ad. People in ads are objects, there to sell you on a product or an idea or a look or whatever.
Personally, I often feel like a lot of the "women-specific" outdoor gear out there is as much dreamed up by marketing departments trying to break into a new demographic as it is actually designed to solve problems unique to women. Sometimes there may be a fine line between what really needs to be re-designed to work or fit better, what could just be made in a wider range of sizes and accomplish the same thing, and what just has a lot of pastels and girl power imagery on the hang tag. As consumers, we like to feel that companies are responding to what we want; but we don't like to feel that we're being pandered to or exploited. And sometimes that's a fine line, too.
Regarding the poster it is marketing,not documentary, it is IMO a bit silly to judge marketing on whether it is realistic or not.ReplyDelete
Marketing tends to objectify regardless what it is selling.
In this case we have a ladies bicycle that they are obviously trying to market to women who would like to identify with the general idea of an attractive young woman in the poster. My impression is a single (or at least open to suggestions) woman without kids who cares what she looks like.
A poster trying to sell a recliner chair for kids would give of a more sturdy and safe feeling (object: safe and happy kid and family), I bet they would be wearing helmets. A Rapha poster would contain exquisite suffering and so on.
Had I passed this poster, I would not even have given it a second glance. I cannot understand all the fuss. Honestly. It's girl wearing a dress on a bike, in what seems to be, in a hurry to meet a date.ReplyDelete
I have always respected women as equals, and it seems to me as if somebody is trying to stir a pot of nothingness into a whirlwind.
I read this blog everyday, not because Madame Velouria is a woman, but because I am always astounded by her cycling knowledge.
My older Goth daughter has a black/green BMX , my younger, Roxy, has a blue/silver MTB, and the wife has an old cherished PINK Raleigh Camaro, which she has bedecked with flowers.
And my fixie is a somber Matte Black throughout... including fixtures.
So as you can see, it is difficult to categorize people, men or women.
Maybe I'm wrong, in which case, I apologize.
- VioletsroseSeptember 20, 2012 at 5:15 AM
I don't understand why manufacturers always think making something feminine means making it pink!! - how about a beautiful pale blue? or duck egg? (can't go wrong with Tiffany blue!) - or lime green? - or emerald green? - or red? - I have no desire for anything in either pink or purple!!ReplyDelete
You remind me ofReplyDelete
That website is filled with nice photos of ladies wearing chic dresses while cycling.
I'm not that stylish, though. I still dress for the bike, partly because I don't feel very skilful and I try to minimise distractions. I should make an effort...
The picture looks like a character of you Velouria. Perhaps the artist was inspired by your blog!ReplyDelete
Always looking out for a ladies racer for my wife and I love this one from UK builder Chris Boardman.
360 view of the Boardman Fi team carbon I mentioned here;ReplyDelete
I don't mind the poster that much, but what I'd really like to see in cycling promotion is representations of a greater selection of body types. People of colour, disabled people, people who aren't thin, etc. There's this pervasive idea that advertising NEEDS to be "aspirational" (which usually means thin white conventionally attractive models/actors), but there is increasing research which shows that people are more likely to purchase or act if the people in the ad are like them. Imagine the poster not only with a man in a similar pose, but perhaps someone like actor Gabourey Sidibe ("Precious"). Someone like Australian Olympian skier and cyclist Michael Milton, who has one leg. Someone aged 75 or more. Does it still make sense?ReplyDelete
Some day, this conversation will seem incredibly silly if we, as a species, ever evolve past the point of primitive sexism.ReplyDelete
Re: ads depicting gals who are all wearing summer dresses, heels, and handbags: I always took these to be specifically directed at females who wanna ride around, but want to be able to do their usual thing in terms of clothing and accessories. Understandable, but a completely overused convention already. (The poster in the article above is, of course, ridiculous. But it is hardly offensive, if one can stop him/herself from needlessly jumping to conclusions.)
Re: bicycle color schemes. I think the problem is that cycle manufacturers don't want to put out more than one (possibly 2) color schemes for a given model. The "solution" here would be to make the WSD bike in the "normal" color (ie, whatever the men's bike looks like, which to be fair, is typically NOT a male-oriented color-scheme) and then something lavender or fuchsia with pretty flowers or Hello Kitty stickers for the cavewomen who feel that this sort of gussying-up is necessary.
Of course, in the name of egalitarianism, they'll need to make a "macho" version of the analogous men's bike in the line. I think I'll take one in royal blue with stickers depicting construction vehicles/trucks, rather than the dark grey one with the HeMan-on-Greyskull motif.
PS- Do ppl have these same conversations about automobiles? Vacuum cleaners? Blenders? A bike is a tool. Thankfully, it is one that encourages customization; folks who want their bike's aesthetics to underline their gender can certainly do that themselves with some paint, stickers, accessories, and ingenuity. To expect a bicycle manufacturer to come up with ways to help them express their identity as a human is utterly daft, and kinda sad.
The Bikes Belong poster is a perfect example of the failure of advocacy to stop "marketing" to women riders and instead concentrate on building the infrastructure that women and families need to be on the road at all.ReplyDelete
This poster was probably designed by the usual advocacy PR age/gender person: a man between the ages of 28 and 35 who can ride pretty much how and where he likes. Not by a dumpy middle aged woman with three kids - me- who rides to school in a city with crappy traffic and little practical 8-80 infrastructure to help me get anywhere useful.
As much as I love to read Lovely Bike I am surprised you actually like this poster- who is it for, really? What happens to that lady when she needs to actually get somewhere like the library?
I don't expect reality from an advertisement but this Bikes Belong poster says I'll belong if I ditch the kids, 35 pounds, and any ability to carry anything useful. It says in effect that most of us who are women living women's lives with a real woman's body don't Belong. And that is the problem with women's bike blogging and the advocacy environment in general.
If I can only belong looking sexy in my heels, great breasts, and little dress hauling three kids to school, the bar is still too high for the average woman and that is where any real cycling culture in America ends right now.Replies
This is precisely why I stay away from advocacy and leave it to others. I am not an advocate. But more to the point, my personal opinion of this particular poster is actually completely irrelevant to the message of this post; the whole point is how subjective these things are and what this means for those trying to market to women.Delete
But back to the poster: Looking at the image in its own right (and not evaluating it as effective advocacy), I personally interpret it as a tongue-in-cheek picture done in the spirit of Las Vegas kitsch. I am not offended by it. I also know that it is just one of many posters Bikes Belong makes, so I don't read it as saying "you must look like this to cycle!!"
Looking at the poster as a piece of advocacy and listening to feedback from others at Interbike, it seems to be 50/50 love/hate (regardless of viewer's gender funny enough!). That sort of stuff is just fascinating to me - you know, how complicated we are as humans and how much nuance is involved in how we interpret things.
But as I was saying to others at the show, the problem I personally see with this poster communicating Bikes Belong's message is that it is too old fashioned. I mean it is literally a reworking of a retro poster. But Bikes Belong is a progressive organisation and this poster seems oriented toward a quaint past, not the future.
I guess I see Bikes Belong as one of the larger and more visible advocacy groups for transportation cyclists. Why separate the image from the mission of the organization in the first place? Bikes Belong should have the wit and acumen not only to promote cycling by women with humor and whimsy, but also to use those good tools to reach the rich variety of us disinclined to ride now.ReplyDelete
I think the image itself is new-fashioned in terms of how we see women portrayed by advocacy groups, manufacturers and bike publications like Momentum and Bicycle Times.
With luck we will all one day become old ladies, or with less luck we may find our ability to ride compromised by injury or illness. Transporting children can complicate using a bike as well. In Europe ugly people ride too. Though we may like to think that advocacy per se is for other kinds of riders, my hope is that we all try to work for change in our own ways as much as possible, so that the largest number of people can actually just ride. It's hard to say how good advocacy now might impact our own ability to stay on a bike in the long run.
If they're trying to sell more bikes to men, this ad is certainly going to be a great eye-catcher for them. What many marketers fail to understand is that if you want to sell products to women, you should either depict a regular-looking but confident women, or show a sexy MAN in the image.ReplyDelete
- Jenny Kubicki, Marketer, Photographer, Graphic Designer, Confident Woman, Avid Cyclist.
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete


text:
Speak up for cancer therapy coverage
Are YOU aware that 2 persons – Scott Fitzgerald, Majority Leader of the WI Senate and Robin Vos, Majority Leader of the WI Assembly – are PREVENTING ACTION by the MAJORITY of OUR WI STATE LEGISLATORS (Senate and Assembly) to pass Senate Bill 300 which would require health insurance companies to cover CHEMOTHERAPY DRUGS TAKEN AS PILLS as they do for chemotherapy drugs taken through IVs!� Is this DEMOCRACY?� MAJORITY RULE?� I do NOT think so.� What do YOU think?
YOU need to be aware of the fact that Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald's BROTHER, Jeff Fitzgerald is a contract lobbyist for the insurers who want to kill the bill.� Is this about Scott's being his brother's keeper?!� Scott has NOT been candid as to WHY he opposes the bill.� His excuse that the SENATE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS does NOT support it has been evaporating.� There are at least 13 of 18 REPUBLICAN SENATORS along with ALL 15 DEMOCRAT SENATORS who support the bill.� That's 28 of the 33 State Senators.� I urge you to read the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's article, "Wisconsin senators heavily support cancer drug bill; no vote planned." BUT THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER WILL NOT LET THE SENATE VOTE!� This is majority rule?!
YOU need to be aware of the fact that Assembly Majority Leader Robin Vos has used unusual "tricks" in the detailed rules of the Assembly to prevent a vote on the bill.� And the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel list of legislators shows 22 Republicans supporting the bill along with ALL 39 Democrats meaning that 71 of the 99 Assembly members support the bill.� That's more than 2/3 of the Assembly.� BUT THE MAJORITY LEADER WILL NOT LET THE ASSEMBLY VOTE!� This is majority rule?!
The situation is the MORE INTENSE since the present Assembly calendar plans for the Assembly to be in session only TODAY and THURSDAY (3/20) before ADJOURNING FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!� Yes, they could schedule additional floor sessions, but…� IF THE ASSEMBLY DOES NOT PASS THE EXACT SAME BILL as the bill passed by the Senate, the bill is DEAD this session!
I totally agree with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's editorial published on Sunday, March 16, "Cancer bill gets rough treatment from Scott Fitzgerald."
The editorial makes a strong statement in its conclusion, "This is a matter of fairness for people facing grave illness. Whatever his motivations, Fitzgerald is singlehandedly blocking a bill that most of his colleagues support and that could help people — probably some of his own constituents. He should allow the bill to come to the floor."�
I URGE YOU to contact YOUR SENATOR and ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVE TODAY to SUPPORT HER/HIM if s/he SUPPORTS THIS SIGNIFICANT BILL for appropriate fairness of coverage of cancer drugs.� OR, to EXPLAIN to HER/HIM that s/he NEEDS to SUPPORT the bill.� Regardless, ask YOUR representatives to PRESSURE FITZGERALD and VOS to bring the bill to the floor for a vote by the SENATE or ASSEMBLY so that ALL MEMBERS are able to cast her/his vote NOW!
WHY shouldn't ALL the members of OUR Senate and Assembly be able to VOTE on this significant bill?� I am HAPPY to report that MY SENATOR (Tim Cullen) and MY ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVE (ANDY JORGENSEN) both SUPPORT the bill.� What is the stance of YOUR representatives?
List of Senators posted at the end of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's article, "Wisconsin senators heavily support cancer drug bill; no vote planned."
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's list of Assembly Representatives' stance on the bill.
You may want to read the Legislative Reference Bureau's analysis of the bill because it provides a "normal English" summary.� Scroll down to heading, "Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau."
John W. Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor assigned with the online/distance education faculty of Viterbo University, LaCrosse. He continues his personal mission supporting democracy/civics education in Wisconsin K-12 schools through Project Citizen, We the People, Discovering Democracy (Milton HS). John is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff or management.


text:
Thailand • Hong Kong • Germany
Research at Thayer School is advancing innovation in three focus areas:
Engineering at Dartmouth is non-departmental and most projects crosscut traditional engineering disciplines to address critical human needs. Projects are searchable by focus area and by discipline.
The Dartmouth
March 9, 2009
By Erin Jaeger
Professor Garmire in "Prof. discusses work at State Dept."
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