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SBN Staff
Transparency in purchasing benefits, the time has come
The employee benefit procurement process, sometimes called marketing, has changed little over the past 25 years. This continues to frustrate many organizations looking for transparency, and potential cost savings, when procuring life, disability stop loss, dental, vision or pharmacy benefit management coverage.
Formal Requests for Proposals (RFP) may travel by email, but the underlying process is the same; insurance carriers simply send an image of the paper proposal that they would have dropped off years prior. The interpretation, presentation and, most importantly, negotiations haven't changed, says Matthew R. Huttlin, vice president in the Employee Benefits Division at ECBM.
Almost a decade ago, a major insurance scandal in New York uncovered bid-rigging and anti-competitive activity within the opaque procurement process.
"The industry agreed to reform and become more transparent, which they did to some extent, but procurement activity remains a bit of a 'black box' process that continues today," Huttlin says.
Smart Business spoke with Huttlin about the future of employee benefits procurement — a reverse auction.
What problems still exist today?
The process is clearly still antiquated and fraught with opportunities for mistakes. Business owners often negotiate without solid documentation. Broker/consultants, as well as their clients, continue to see proposal mistakes, missed deadlines, inaccurate proposals and presentation revisions.
Also, insurance carriers market to their strengths, as opposed to conforming to client requirements, which may lead to misinformation, more work, mistakes and increased costs.
How can business owners better obtain employee benefit coverage lines?
An online version of a reverse auction, or Dutch auction, cuts to the heart of the problem by introducing technology to the process while maintaining the business owner's control of the outcome. This type of auction works opposite of a normal auction — instead of bidding up the price of an item, the auction bids the price down.
What are the benefits of this method?
This process is:
- Prescriptive — RFPs are standardized, specifying the client requirements. Carriers respond using pre-determined plan specifications.
- Efficient — Carriers get complete, consistent data on which to act with agreed upon timelines.
- Transparent — Clients receive documentation on every step from the initial offers to the final pricing.
- Effective — The online system delivers the RFP to more markets, garnering more accurate quotes that are immediately posted for analysis.
How exactly does this reverse auction work?
There are four phases to the procurement. In the RFP development/submission phase, the RFP is placed on a secure website under a standardized format and peer reviewed to ensure accuracy. Once released, carriers are notified to go to the website to obtain all of the relevant information to prepare their proposal.
During the technical evaluation/initialpricing phase, carriers post proposals into the system for evaluation. The broker/consultant reviews the vendor confirmations and deviations to the requested scope of services, confirming plan design features, alternatives and administrative capabilities. The carrier also posts its initial pricing.
Then, all carriers receive feedback as to their ranking by their initial pricing in the financial evaluation/secondary-pricing phase. Actual rates aren't shared. Over the course of a set period, usually two days, carriers can revise their pricing offers. Every time a new offer is submitted, all carriers are notified of the new ranking order.
Once the financial evaluation is complete, clients review the detailed results in the evaluation/selection phase. This review can include finalist presentations, site visits, etc. The client maintains full control over the selection process. Business owners aren't required to select the lowest bid, but rather the carrier that best fits their requirements.
This high-tech approach is an efficient and effective way to handle procurement that provides accurate, transparent and documented results while driving prices down in a timely fashion. ●
Matthew R. Huttlin is vice president of the Employee Benefits Division at ECBM. Reach him at 610-668-7100, ext. 1312 or email@example.com.
Insights Risk Management is brought to you by ECBM
The organizational effects of health care coverage decisions
To provide or not to provide? That is the most pressing health insurance question facing companies across the country this year. As implementation of the Affordable Care Act moves forward, many businesses are making strategic decisions regarding health care benefits. Those that have sponsored health insurance for years are now considering dropping coverage and reallocating resources.
But what are the true costs of dropping coverage? While the questions may be simple, the analysis can get fairly complex and extend beyond easily identifiable costs.
Smart Business spoke with Sholly Nicholson, human resources manager at Sensiba San Filippo LLP, to examine some of the most important health care questions businesses face this year.
How should businesses approach their health care coverage decisions?
It is critical for any company to evaluate health care coverage based on the anticipated impact it will have on the entire organization. That means considering both easily recognizable and potentially hidden costs associated with sponsoring or dropping coverage. Will dropping coverage negatively affect your ability to attract and retain talent? Will it result in a loss of valuable personnel, and if so, to what degree?
What are the benefits to providing health care coverage?
Depending on the nature of your business, employer-sponsored health care plans might already be expected. It's possible to drop coverage and increase employee pay to allow them to choose their own plans on the health care exchange networks. However, continuing coverage can be a critical part of strategic planning.
Employer-sponsored plans provide control over the plan's design and benefits available to employees. If you operate in an industry with heated competition for a limited talent pool, selecting and managing your plan could provide a competitive advantage. With current uncertainty regarding exchange health plans, employees may feel more comfortable knowing that your organization is selecting a plan that allows them access to the doctors and hospitals they want.
What can companies do to control rates?
If you decide to offer health care benefits, managing costs will be critical moving forward. Get as many quotes as possible. Insurance providers are always offering new plan designs and premium pricing.
Incentives can be offered to employees who participate in annual health risk assessments, biometric screenings or other wellness initiatives. Promoting health and well-being through education, exercise facilities and nutrition initiatives can have a long-term effect on the number of claims incurred, which will have a significant effect on your group rates.
What should a company consider when designing its plan?
Not all plans are created equal, and the organizational benefits of a well-designed and well-managed plan can be substantial. It's important to look closely at the provider network.
Will your employees be covered by the primary care physicians they want? Will they have access to the best hospital facilities? Smart companies review residential locations and current providers of their employees before making any changes.
The structure of the plan can also be important. To balance costs and benefits, many companies are moving toward high deductible plans combined with health savings accounts (HSAs). The high deductible plans keep premiums under control, while HSAs allow employees to set aside money pretax to offset deductibles.
What's the best advice you can provide regarding health care coverage decisions?
The health care decisions you make today will have a profound effect on the future of your organization. A happy and healthy workplace will be productive and profitable.
The right answer is unique to every company, but the best approach to finding that answer is consistent: Expand the scope of your analysis and conduct a broad investigation in order to discover how your health care decisions will affect your company moving forward. If you consider all of the ramifications of your decisions and align your strategy with your desired outcome, you will find the best solution for your employees and organization. ●
Sholly Nicholson is human resources manager at Sensiba San Filippo LLP. Reach her at (408) 286-7780 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Insights Accounting is brought to you by Sensiba San Filippo LLP
How fund investors fare when attempting to time the market
The performance of the average mutual fund, exchange-traded fund (ETF) and hedge fund investor lags the performance of their funds.
"The average fund investor loses money by engaging in active investment timing," says Marco Pagani, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Finance and Interim MBA Director of the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business at San José State University.
Smart Business spoke with Pagani to learn more about the ability of fund investors to time the market.
How is the timing ability of fund investors measured?
Fund performance is computed using time-weighted returns — the geometric mean — which measure the return of a buy-and-hold strategy. This is a strategy that holds a fixed quantity of fund shares without any contribution, known as shares purchase, or withdrawal, called shares sale, during the investment horizon. Such measure is ideal to compare the performance of similar funds over a common time period. The return realized by an investor depends on the performance of the investment selected and the ability to purchase or redeem shares at the most advantageous time during an investment period.
An investor's performance is measured by dollar-weighted returns, referred to as an internal rate of return, which account for both the investment performance and the investor's timing ability. By calculating the difference between the time-weighted return and the dollar-weighted return, one can isolate the portion of the overall return solely due to the ability to time investments.
To what extent are returns reduced by poor investment timing skills?
Financial research has shown that the penalty associated with poor timing decisions is significant and present among many categories of investors. Professors Geoffrey Friesen and Travis Sapp in their 2007 article published in the Journal of Banking and Finance show that the average equity mutual fund investment underperforms by 1.6 percent on an annual basis. Similarly, studies performed by Morningstar estimate the timing penalty at around 1.5 percent per year.
Consistent evidence has been found by studying the ETF universe. In a 2013 working paper I co-authored with Dr. Stoyu Ivanov, we estimate that ETF investors lag the performance of their investment by 2.4 percent per year.
In a 2011 article in the Journal of Financial Economics, Professors Ilia Dichev and Gwen Yu found that the average hedge fund investor displays a timing penalty in the order of 3.5 percent per year. The significant penalty associated with the timing decisions of hedge fund investors imply that, even though hedge funds have produced returns higher than the equity market, the returns of hedge fund investors have lagged the performance of the S&P 500 and have only fared marginally better than short-term Treasury securities.
What are the investor or fund characteristics associated with poor timing ability?
It does not appear that the performance of more sophisticated investors displays lower timing penalties. Hedge fund investors, comprising sophisticated individual investors or institutional investors, somehow display the worse timing ability.
With both mutual and hedge funds it seems that negative timing skills are especially concentrated in large funds where more dollars are at stake. Active fund investors show worse timing performance than index mutual funds. In a 2013 working paper I co-authored with Dr. Marco Navone, we found that load mutual funds are associated with larger timing penalties than no-load funds. This is particularly interesting since load funds are often bought or sold through investment professional and brokerage channels.
What should fund investors know?
Investors should not attempt to time the market because it is hazardous to their financial health. To avoid engaging in pernicious investment behavior, investors should follow a predetermined schedule of share purchases or sales motivated by cash flow availability and target portfolio allocation. Trades motivated by market forecasts or emotional reactions should be avoided at all costs. ●
Marco Pagani, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Finance and Interim MBA Director of the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business at San José State University. Reach him at (408) 924-3477 or email@example.com.
Insights Executive Education is brought to you by San José State University
Can The Surprising U.S Economic Expansion Continue?
Q: The U.S. economic expansion appears to be continuing at a moderate pace into 2014. Are you surprised?
A: Not at all. We switched from negative to positive on the economy back in the Spring of 2009 and have not wavered since then. The key to our confidence has been the message from our proprietary Recession Signals Checklist (the RSC).
Q: That doesn't sound like the name of a "quantitative econometric model"!
A: That's correct – however, each factor on the RSC does have a quantifiable level that causes it to toggle on/off. We tested dozens of economic data series and chose 10 that represent major economic sectors and interest rates. Our "back-test" period for the RSC covered 1980-2006, which included recessions in 1980, 1982, 1991 and 2001. In each of those instances, 9 or 10 of the RSC data series reached the quantified levels that signaled a high risk of recession. Equally importantly, we did not want "false positives" every time the economy slowed significantly, so we focused on the 1985 and 1995 mid-cycle slowdowns when many economists feared a recession was imminent. No more than 3 signals toggled on in those instances.
Q: How has it worked in real time since then?
A: To paraphrase the golf adage, "Back-tests are for show, but real-time is for dough!" Thus far, the RSC has been very helpful to us as it strongly signaled recession as the Great Recession developed in 2008. Per the title of this interview, many economists were surprised when the economy avoided falling into a double-dip recession in 2010, 2011 and again in 2012. The RSC held at 2 or 3 signals most of that stretch, but hit a rather nerve-wracking 4 of 10 in 2011. Overall, these low RSC readings gave us confidence in the economic expansion. While it's nice to make accurate forecasts, the payoff was the support the forecast gave to our bullish investment strategies.
Q: What is the RSC telling you now?
A: Currently, NO signals are toggled on which supports our sanguine economic outlook for 2014.
Q: Are there additional factors that encourage optimism on the economy?
A: Absolutely. We see several factors that could lead to better growth, including: 1) reduced drag from Government spending cuts (state & local spending is already growing and the year/year impact of Federal sequester spending cuts has dropped), 2) an improving global economy helps export demand (Europe and Japan are coming out of recessions and emerging economies continue to outgrow developed), 3) low U.S. energy costs (fracking means North American natural gas costs are fractions of global levels), 4) consumers and businesses alike will benefit from improved balance sheets and renewed credit growth, 5) steady jobs growth (finally, a new high in jobs in 2014) will help consumer confidence and incomes, and 6) the U.S. "manufacturing renaissance" .
Q: That last factor sounds meaningful for our region –can you elaborate on it?
A: The era of "offshoring" of production seems to be reversing into re-shoring as the U.S. holds its position as the #1 or #2 country in the world in terms of manufacturing output. Shifting dynamics of global labor markets are playing a role in this, as is the advantage of lower domestic energy costs, but technology is a huge factor. Digitization and robotics have played a significant role in the massive productivity edge U.S. manufacturers hold over emerging market competitors. That advantage is a two-edged sword in terms of jobs in our region, as the automation-related jobs pay better. However, they require more education and technical training and are less numerous than the repetitive tasks of days gone by.
So to conclude, we have not been surprised by the growth of the U.S. economy and we remain optimistic that the pace of GDP growth is finally escaping the "terrible twos" and headed toward the more "pleasant threes!"
Disclosure: This message does not constitute individual investment, legal or tax advice. All opinions are reflective of judgments made on the original date of publication and do not constitute a guarantee of present or future financial market conditions.
How to insure against employment practice disputes
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of claims filed against employers arising out of employment practice disputes. Many claims have no legal basis, but employers are still forced to defend themselves — spending time and money.
"Businesses are more likely to have an employment practices claim than a property claim," says Shelley White, assistant vice president at SeibertKeck. "There are over 100,000 charges filed annually against employers under statutes imposed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The majority of these claims target smaller businesses. However, no business is exempt."
Smart Business spoke with White about understanding employment practices liability coverage.
What's important to know about employment practice claims?
Employment law has grown at an incredible pace since passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, among others. Ambiguities in these laws allow the widest possible interpretation, which in turn opens the door for litigation.
The most frequent types of claims made against an employer are discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination and retaliation. There's also been an uptick in wage and hour lawsuits. Claims can come from potential hires, former and current employees, clients, suppliers or vendors.
Discrimination can be defined as the termination of an employee, demotion, refusal to hire or promote due to race, color, religion, age, sex, physical or mental disabilities or handicaps, pregnancy or national origin. Think about the times you or someone in the office told an off-color or racy joke to a new employee or client. It's only a matter of time until this comes back as a claim.
The average claim costs an employer $50,000, and defense costs represent about two-thirds of the total settlement. Without a mechanism to transfer risk, these costs could cripple smaller businesses, or at least damage their reputation. For larger businesses, one uninsured claim can lead to potential shareholder lawsuits.
How does employment practices liability coverage mitigate this risk?
Businesses can purchase a policy that provides coverage for a wide spectrum of employment-related claims and offers risk management services to help minimize the risk of getting sued. This policy protects the corporation, directors and officers, employees (including leased and temporary), volunteers, and in some cases can be endorsed to include independent contractors (when working for the employer).
The definition of a claim includes arbitration, regulatory and administrative proceedings, and EEOC and Department of Labor investigations.
Limits can range from $500,000 up to $10 million or higher. As your business assets grow, so should your limits. Settlement costs and legal fees are typically included in the policy limits. However, some carriers will provide separate limits for these costs.
It's important, however, to be aware of the varying contracts and differences in coverage and exclusions from one policy to another. There is no standard form. Sitting down with your trusted insurance adviser will help with this process.
Beyond buying insurance, what preventive measures lower claim risk?
Minimize the possibility of costly claims by:
- Creating an employee handbook detailing company policies and procedures.
- Educating employees on sexual harassment and discrimination, and offering sensitivity training.
- Establishing a procedure for handling employee complaints.
- Developing job descriptions with clear expectations of skills and performance.
- Conducting periodic performance reviews.
- Creating an effective record-keeping system to document employee issues, and what was done to resolve them.
- Instituting at-will employment.
- Implementing procedures for hiring, firing and disciplining employees.
Many carriers offer free risk management services. Online resources provide best practices training modules for addressing sexual harassment, discrimination, investigations and termination, while providing links to HR websites. ●
Shelley White is assistant vice president at SeibertKeck. Reach her at (330) 865-6582 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Insights Business Insurance is brought to you by SeibertKeck
How modernization and expansion of BWC grants benefit Ohio employers
In continuation of the "Billion Back" campaign from the summer of 2013, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) has announced additional changes to come this year and in 2015.
"As we begin 2014, it is important for employers to be aware of impending changes and understand how they can further impact the protection of their workers as well as their bottom line," says Randy Jones, senior vice president of Ohio TPA Operations at CompManagement, Inc.
Smart Business spoke with Jones about the upcoming changes and their potential benefits to the employers of Ohio.
What is 'A Billion Back?'
'A Billion Back' is a one-time dividend equating to $1 billion for private employers and public taxing districts. It was made possible because the financially strong Ohio State Insurance Fund exceeded the target funding ratio of assets to liabilities established by the BWC Board in 2008.
Checks were released to eligible organizations in June 2013. For private employers that participated in a group retrospective rating program for the July 1, 2011, policy year, dividends were calculated and paid following the 12-month retrospective refund calculation that occurred in October 2013.
What other program benefits may employers utilize this year?
The BWC has also expanded its safety grant program from $5 million to $15 million to further promote workplace safety, workplace wellness and encourage investment in protecting Ohio's workers. It has modified the program to be a 3-to-1 match with a maximum grant of $40,000 per employer. The BWC has also expanded the program to allow for various types of previously excluded equipment.
Now is the time to minimize your out-of-pocket expense for new equipment that may be eligible under the safety grant program. For example, your out-of-pocket cost of $13,333 would be matched with the BWC's $40,000, which equates to a 300 percent return on your investment in safety.
According to BWC statistics, every dollar spent on safety equipment equates to a $3 reduction in claims costs.
What can employers expect in 2015?
The BWC will be transitioning to a billing system that will align it with a standard industry practice, enabling them to collect premiums before extending coverage. The transition will become effective July 1, 2015, for private employers and Jan. 1, 2016, for public employers. The BWC has indicated that a change to a prospective billing system could have an overall base rate reduction of 2 percent for private employers and 4 percent for public employers, and provide an opportunity for more flexible payment options of up to 12 installments.
The BWC envisions a few changes as it implements prospective billing, including:
- Earlier deadlines to sign up for incentive/discount programs. Beginning in the fall of 2014, employers wishing to participate in programs such as group rating, group retrospective rating or other discount programs will have to make those selections sooner.
- One-time credit. A one-time premium credit will be given in July 2015 to the average private employer to cover its August payroll report, which includes the January to June 2015 premium as well as the July and August prospective premium. Public employers will receive a 50 percent credit for 2015 and a 50 percent credit for 2016 within the March 2016 invoice.
- A new payment schedule. Private employers will receive their invoices in June and begin paying premiums before July 1. While that's earlier than in the past, employers will be able to make quarterly payments, with some employers able to choose as many as 12 installments. Public employers will need to pay at least 50 percent of their annual premium for both 2015 and 2016 by May 2016.
- A true-up process. Since the BWC will be providing workers' compensation coverage based on estimated payroll, it will ask employers to report their actual payroll for the prior policy year and pay any shortage, or receive a refund for any overage in premium. This begins in August 2016.
- Employers should contact their third-party administrator for workers' compensation to discuss the transition process. ●
Randy Jones is senior vice president of Ohio TPA Operations at CompManagement, Inc. Reach him at (800) 825-6755, ext. 65466 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Insights Workers' Compensation is brought to you by CompManagement, Inc.
Do HIPAA privacy laws apply to your business?
Many business operators know that the federal privacy rules under the Health Insurance Portability Act (HIPAA) apply to health information maintained by "covered entities," such as health care providers and health plans. Fewer know that new regulations, effective September 2013, expand the scope of direct responsibility for compliance.
Now, HIPAA rules directly apply to "business associates" of covered entities. Business associates, like covered entities, are subject to penalties of $100 to more than $50,000 per HIPAA violation, says Jules S. Henshell, of counsel at Semanoff Ormsby Greenberg & Torchia, LLC. If the violation resulted from willful neglect, the Department of Human Services' Office of Civil Rights (OCR) must impose a penalty of at least $10,000 per violation, which increases to at least $50,000 if the violation isn't corrected within 30 days.
"As recently as December 2013, a dermatology physician practice was required to pay a $150,000 fine arising from the a report of the theft of an unencrypted 'thumb drive' from a vehicle," Henshell says. "That settlement with OCR is a clear signal that covered entities and their business associates are potential targets of HIPAA enforcement actions regardless of their size."
Smart Business spoke with Henshell about managing HIPAA risk in your company.
Who qualifies as a business associate?
A business associate is any entity that creates, receives, maintains or transmits protected health information (PHI) in the course of performing services on behalf of a covered entity. Any business that handles PHI, such as billing and coding companies, information technology contractors, document storage or destruction companies, accountants and lawyers, may be subject to the new regulations. If a business associate uses a subcontractor to perform services that involve handling PHI, the subcontractor must also comply.
Where do companies routinely fail to take adequate action?
Health care providers and their business associates increasingly rely upon technology to record, store and manage data. That data may include PHI.
It is not uncommon for personnel to work remotely or take work home. Employees routinely use personal smartphones or home computers to access business email and documents. Such conduct can promote efficiencies, but it also gives rise to the risk of privacy or security breaches in the absence of adequate technical and physical safeguards.
What preventive actions do you recommend?
Benjamin Franklin got it right when he said, 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.' It is not enough to adopt policies and procedures for protecting patient privacy. As in the case of the stolen thumb drive, security breaches may be avoidable if a company establishes, monitors and enforces appropriate safeguards.
Businesses that handle PHI should review and update policies governing patient privacy and evaluate whether they have adequate administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the integrity, confidentiality and availability of electronic PHI. They should establish computer access controls, use firewalls, virus protections and encryption; back up data; and implement security policies and procedures to meet HIPAA's expanded scope.
They also need written agreements with business associates and/or subcontractors to protect and secure patient information.
Do you have any other advice?
The new regulations impose significant requirements on business associates to:
- Perform and document a risk assessment of computer systems and portable devices.
- Implement administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the integrity, confidentiality and availability of PHI.
- Enter into and perform in accord with a written business associate agreement with covered entities to protect privacy and security of PHI.
- Report privacy breaches and security incidents to the covered entity. Health care providers routinely require contractors to sign business associate agreements containing indemnification provisions that increase responsibilities and risks. Before signing, determine whether your business really is a business associate. ●
Jules S. Henshell is of counsel at Semanoff Ormsby Greenberg & Torchia, LLC or (215) 887-3754 or email@example.com.
Insights Legal Affairs is brought to you by Semanoff Ormsby Greenberg & Torchia, LLC
How you can lower your business litigation costs this year
What are the essential terms that you would require as part of any settlement? Communicate your goals and ask your counsel whether he or she believes your expectations are realistic. Insist that your counsel formulate a strategy to achieve your goals and estimate the time frame, legal fees and costs to execute the strategy to secure those goals. You may be surprised by the plan and the estimates, and this, in turn, may change your perspective about acceptable outcomes.
Have your counsel try to negotiate with the other side to reduce these costs by agreeing to limit the searches for relevant documents by date ranges and particular employees, and by limiting the number of depositions each side will take. In addition, when you produce your own documents to your attorney, it is helpful, and saves money, if you identify the source of the documents — i.e., Employee John Doe's files — and provide a general index of the documents, for example, 'correspondence with vendors,' 'financial projections,' 'Employee Jane Doe's personnel file,' etc.
Are attorney's fees tax deductible?
How to manage risk and counter crises with a corporate response plan
Smart Business spoke with James Martin, managing director at Cendrowski Corporate Advisors LLC, about the finer points of a CRP.
Setting up a CRP is an extension of the risk management process. It involves deep planning around what tools will be needed for specific threat types and proactively ensuring they will be available. When a risk actually occurs there will be no time for planning and coordination, so it needs to be done upfront. Consider who should be involved, both from a company perspective and any outside experts who would be required. Identify the information that's essential to evaluate the extent of the threat and analyze an appropriate course of information. Also, consider procedures to ensure that data and information are adequately preserved and available for the CRP.
Examining executive pay - corporate tendencies now and for the future
The highest ratio was at the J.C. Penney Co., where the CEO's annual compensation was $53 million. His workers' pay, on average, was $29,700 — a ratio of 1,795-to-1. He was fired shortly thereafter because he had spent too much money on marketing and made too many changes. The company was improving and doing well; his compensation wasn't what cost him his job.
What workers care about is internal equity; how their pay compares to other workers. If the person who's sitting in the next office, doing the same thing, is making 20 percent more, that's upsetting. But as far as the CEO, who is levels above rank-and-file workers, as long as he or she is making the company work, employees don't really care. Employees have a stake, if not a say, in executive compensation, but they really have a stake in executive performance.
Is CEO compensation out of control? Certainly, if the issue is that there's no overarching system to govern executive pay. But in the long run, the law of supply


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It is already illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, nationality, religion, age, or disability. But a majority of states still don't provide protection to LGBT individuals in the workplace. Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) CEO Tim Cook wants to put an end to this discrepancy. In a November Wall Street Journal op-ed entitled "Workplace Equality Is Good for Business," Cook urged the passing of a federal law to protect workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
"Protections that promote equality and diversity should not be conditional on someone's sexual orientation," he wrote. "For too long, too many people have had to hide that part of their identity in the workplace."
Shortly after Cook's op-ed, the Senate voted to approve the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT employees in the workplace. The legislation will now be sent to the House for consideration.


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|Prof. Patrick H. Madden Director, Optimality Research Group (the BLAC CAD Research Group is now dormant) Associate Professor, Computer Science Dept. Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering State University of New York at Binghamton P.O. Box 6000 Binghamton, NY 13902 Office: Engineering Building, Q4 Phone: (607) 777 2943 Fax: (607) 777 4729 URL: http://www.cs.binghamton.edu/~pmadden email: email@example.com GPG Public Key for firstname.lastname@example.com
Since 2004, my interest has shifted towards optimization in general, with an emphasis on expanding the range of NP-hard problems that can be solved optimally. While it's unlikely that there will be an efficient solution to all NP-hard problems, it's possible to push at the border between what is tractable and what is intractable. Some of my current research involves protein and peptide identification from mass spectrometer data, which can be viewed as a large, complex, and particularly important optimization problem.
I'm also a vocal skeptic on parallel computing (see the 2007 talk with Dr. Gene Amdahl!). My 2011 ASPDAC paper is the tip of the iceberg.The most recent volley in the battle is Dispelling the Myths of Parallel Computing.


text: Bleeker Audio Video & Appliances has been serving the Ottawa valley since 1961. We offer a large selection of TVs, Big Screens, Flat Panels, Projection TVs, VCR's, DVD, Satellite TV, Home Theatre, Camcorders, Personal Audio Products, Home Stereos, Speakers, Fridges, Stoves, Washers, Dryers, Microwave Ovens, Gas Appliances, Dishwashers, and more! We offer after sales service, deliveries and even Pro Audio/Video installations; home theatre systems, boardroom presentations, whole house music systems, IP Security cameras, pre-wiring for renovations or new buildings, and custom installations. Our friendly knowledgeable staff are career professionals who specialize in what they sell, bringing their expert knowledge to help you select the equipment that's best suited to your needs.


text:
Monday, January 4th, 2010 Stories in The Daily Standard
Online Local News Stories
Celina Fire Department responded to the scene of a Saturday night fire that heavily damaged a local house and destroyed most of the contents. A neighbor called 911 after spotting smoke coming from the home of Vanessa Wallace, 2 . . .
Print Edition Only News Stories
• Thefts occur in rural Celina
• Commissioners seek bids for Tomlinson Road bridge project
• Strong defense pushes Bulldogs past Blue Jays
• Cavaliers rally to remain undefeated
• Lady Indians set new mark for scoring by topping 100
Weather forecast
for Thursday:
Partly cloudy
for Thursday:
Partly cloudy
Tuesday, April 22
Tuesday, April 22
Tuesday, April 22


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A Trip to See the Monarch Butterflies
by Ed and Fran, Tuxpan, Veracruz
The following notes are based on our experiences during our our 3 night/2 day trip to Angangueo on January 31st and Feb 1st, 2011..
Tourism in general
It could be a good time to visit the area. Tourism is way down and we saw very few people at the reserves when we were there (a Monday and Tuesday). Locals say this is the third year in a row that tourism has been off. 3 years ago it was the swine flu scare. Last year it was the flood in Angangueo. This year it seems to be fear of narco violence in the state. Whatever, it worked out well for us, but not so well for people who earn their living based on tourist traffic.
If we hadn't known about the floods from the previous year, I would have been hard pressed to guess that it had happened. There has been a huge amount of repair work and reconstruction already done. The town is in great shape. Yeah, if you are told where to look you can see where the major area of damage was.
Lots of construction work still going on (largely involved in rechanneling the arroyo that goes through town), but the town looks great. You can definitely forget about flood damage being a reason for not staying in Angangueo.
This is going to vary a lot week to week. For us, the night temps were around the low 40's. We had 2 perfectly cloudless days and by late afternoon it had warmed up to maybe the high 60's in town.
Sierra Chincua
We went to Sierra Chincua on Monday. The road is recently paved and is in perfect condition from Angangueo to Sierra Chincua. New signage makes it easy to find. From the main road into the parking area it's still a dirt road. Dusty, but in decent shape. We expected that it would be tough to find public transport up to Sierra Chincua, especially in light of the low amount of tourism, and we simply arranged with a taxi to pick us up at the hotel in the morning and wait for us at the reserve until we came back. Worked out well for us. Left the hotel around 09:30 and were at the area at around 10:00. There is a totally new (built last year) infrastructure at the base at Sierra Chincua. They removed all the old shacks that housed the food stalls and shops that sold artesania, and built a new series of buildings to house them. At least in our opinion, they were very well done. The locals that we talked to seemed happy with them too. New bathrooms too. There is all new signage on the trails, part of the same project.
The trail was a tough 2 hour hike for me. Maybe it's partly the altitude (11,000 ft), partly my age, and partly a lack of conditioning on my part. First hour and a half was a gradual but steady climb up. The trail is in excellent condition along this part, and skirts along the side of the mountain so there are 3 good overlooks to see the valley. It was pretty chilly, and there was a lot of wind. At about the last quarter of the trail, it starts a relatively steep descent towards the butterfly colony. At this time the horse trail (separate until this point) joins the foot trail. So this section is pretty well chewed up and extremely dusty. We had perfect sunny weather. We arrived at the area of the colony (at least the area we were shown) around 12:00. Sun was just starting to warm up the butterflies and there were a few flying around. But within a half hour or so the air was full of butterflies. It was an incredible experience. The regulations posted say that you can only stay in the area of the colony for 30 minutes. I suspect that they may enforce that in periods of high tourism traffic to keep the area from being saturated with people. But with the very light traffic they have now, the guide was in no hurry to get us to move on. I guess we spent almost 2 hours in the general area of the colony. After coming back we ate lunch at one of the little restaurants at the base. Good food, a big plate full, and reasonable cost. I think we paid $45 pesos each plus the soft drinks.
El Rosario
We originally planned the trip to be in Angangueo two days, just in case the first day would turn out cloudy and have little butterfly activity. But the first day turned out perfectly. So we decided to visit El Rosario on the second day. It was another perfect day with bright sun. It would have been fairly easy to get up to El Rosario from Angangueo with public transport, certainly much easier than getting to Sierra Chincua, but we opted to use the same taxi driver as we had going to Sierra Chincua. We went on the road directly from Angangueo to El Rosario. The first 80% was in good shape, although the paving stone surface made for a bit of a bumpy ride. It's shorter in distance than the road to Sierra Chincua, but the lower speed makes it about the same time, if not a bit longer. The last 20% of the road is a dirt road that needs maintenance, to say the least. We made it in a Nissan Tsuru taxi, although he touched bottom a couple of times. It's certainly passable. We came back by the road El Rosario – Ocampo – Angangueo. Much longer in time and distance. Also paved with paving stones from El Rosario down to Ocampo, and plenty of speed bumps. But in good condition. El Rosario is slightly lower than Sierra Chincua (or so I'm led to believe) at 10,000 feet, and the hike was much shorter, and much easier for me even though it was all uphill. The hike is all through the woods, so you don't get the same views of the countryside as you would at Sierra Chincua. Took us about an hour to reach the colony. More people than we encountered the previous day at Sierra Chincua, but still not a lot, and nothing like we had expected. Note that the distance of your hike will vary a bit depending on where the colony is at that time, and could wind up being a bit longer. Again our timing was pretty good. We arrived at the area where we were close to the colony at around 11:00 and there was some activity. But within a half hour the sun started shining on more branches and the butterfly activity had increased significantly. We stayed in the area for maybe 2 hours. Lots of opportunity to take good photos. We had a number of butterflies alight on our heads, arms, and jeans. It was an easy 45 minute walk back down. Again we ate at one of the little restaurants / comedores at the base of the reserve. And again it was good, plentiful, and cheap.
Hope this helps someone. Remember that this was our view of things, your mileage may vary.


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Reason for flagging
Hi ! We are Aziliz and Joana from France and Portugal and we are supposed to sens new year's eve in the lovely city of Budapest. Unfortunately pur bookings for the hostel didn't go through and now we are condamned to sleep in the streets. Please help us, we don't want to freeze and to become human icebergs. For contacting us +33682519760. Thanks !


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Are you aware of the adequate approach toward eating? You cannot simply eat anything at anytime. There are certain times at which you must eat only certain food items because they will serve you in the best way possible.
Is this phenomenon hard to believe? Here are a few situations and the best foods possible for them. You would definitely prefer to follow this advice if you are actually concerned about what you look like. You are what you eat and you would obviously want the best for yourself.
Read more related at Betterhealthblog:
· How to Improve Your Fitness With Proper Sports Nutrition
· 20 Practical Tips to Save Money On Food
· Ways to Get More Fiber in Your Diet
· 9 Ways to Healthy Eating At Fast Food Restaurants
· 5 Surprising Facts about Modern Nutrition
· 5 Surprising Causes for Winter Weight Gain


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Windows Azure SQL Database Marketplace
Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly roundup of the latest community-driven news, content and conversations about cloud computing and Windows Azure. Let me know what you think about these posts via comments below, or on Twitter @WindowsAzure. Here are the highlights from last week.
Articles and Blog Posts
Upcoming Events, and User Group Meetings
Recent Windows Azure Forums Discussion Threads
Send us articles that you'd like us to highlight, or content of your own that you'd like to share. And let us know about any local events, groups or activities that you think we should tell the rest of the Windows Azure community about. You can use the comments section below, or talk to us on Twitter @WindowsAzure.
Have a great weekend!


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Many congressional members forgo or donate salaries during shutdown
Tornado-themed 'Mike & Molly' episode to air Thursday
Congress plays musical chairs but leadership stays the same
Florida to investigate voting problems
Murphy declares win over West in Florida
Allen West motion on ballots denied
Mitt Romney concedes Florida to Obama
No power changes in Senate, House
Republicans projected to retain control of U.S. House
Obama leads in Florida, wins second term
'Don't ask' repeal introduced in House
Judge: Supermax inmates must have hearings
Dogs of War: A small step for contractors
GDTI announces details from company plan
British leaders discuss ex-spy's death
Patrick Murphy (1834–1862) was an Irish giant, born in County Down, who exhibited himself as a means of income. He originally worked on the docks in Liverpool, England and later became a waiter at a hotel. Because he was a man of extraordinary height, Murphy attracted crowds everywhere he went. He eventually decided that he could make an honest living being tall.
In May 1857 the Emperor and Empress of Austria invited the towering native of Ireland to visit their kingdom. While he was on tour throughout Europe, he died of smallpox in Marseilles at the age of twenty-eight. He had always billed himself as being 8'10" and in some circles as much as 9'3", though his true height was 7'3".


text:
The NCAA Clearinghouse has recently changed their policy regarding the receipt of test scores. All SAT and ACT scores must be reported directly to the NCAA Initial Eligibility Center by the testing agency. Test scores that appear on the transcript will no longer be accepted. Use the NCAA Eligibility Center code 9999 when you request scores to be sent from SAT or ACT. Those students who applied earlier in the year should be getting a letter from the NCAA stating that you need to have your scores sent from the testing agencies. Any questions please see Mr. Jaskoski.
NCAA Eligibility Center Basics
You must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at their website if you wish to play Division I or Division II college athletics. The only way to register is on-line. The recommended time by the NCAA is at the end of junior year/beginning of senior year.
Go to NCAA Eligibility Center's website. Select Prospective Student Athletes and click on Domestic Release Form. Complete the Student Release Form online and include your credit or debit card to pay the $60 fee.
If you attended another high school before Cathedral you must contact that school to have your transcripts sent. 4) You must send your ACT and/or SAT scores to the Eligibility Center directly from the testing agencies. The Eligibility Center no longer accepts test scores from school transcripts. To contact ACT go to www.act.org and for the SAT go to www.collegeboard.com 5) Make sure you complete the amateurism questionnaire when you first register with the Center. You will need to return to the Eligibility Center website to update and complete the amateurism questionnaire and request a final amateurism certification in the spring of your senior year. 6) Once you have submitted your student release papers see Mr. Jaskoski to have your transcripts sent. You may check on your status by: Visiting the clearinghouse website and click on Prospective Student Athletes, then Registered Student Login


text:
Take the cases of Justices Sotomayor and Kagan. Both were in favor of camera coverage of Supreme Court oral arguments.
During her confirmation hearings, Sotomayor said courtroom cameras would let citizens see the Supreme Court at work. "I have had positive experiences with cameras," she said about serving on U.S. district and circuit courts.
But after four years on the Supreme Court, she changed her mind. She now opposes cameras in court. She has become an "an upper-class snob" just like the other justices who adamantly oppose cameras in court.
She now argues erroneously that most Americans would not understand Supreme Court arguments and there was no point "in letting them try." Most Americans couldn't care less about the Supreme Court. But for those who do care, camera coverage is important.
Justice Kagan has also done a volte-face. At her confirmation hearings, she said camera coverage "would be a great thing for the institution and a great thing for the American people."
Now she claims "people might play to the camera" and coverage could be misused. Ridiculous. My experience attending a Supreme Court oral argument revealed extreme respect of and even deference to the justices.
The Canadian Supreme Court has had televised oral arguments for two decades. Owen Rees, the court's executive director, says that "filming has increased the public's understanding of its work."
True. But the U.S. Supreme Court insists it is "different." Nonsense. It is unable to give a persuasive reason for keeping the court veiled.
As Kyu Youin, University of Oregon journalism professor, remarks: the Supreme Court betrays "a distinctly American commitment to free expression."
"Many people outside the U.S. are wondering why it is so calcified in its thinking about cameras," Youin added. Answer: because it is also calcified about many of its decisions.
No consumer recourse
In one of its calcified rulings recently, the court held that consumers, seriously harmed by generic drugs, don't deserve compensation.
The court, by the usual Retrograde Five margin of 5-4, overturned a lower court decision that awarded $21 million to a woman for pain and suffering caused by reaction to a generic drug. The ruling leaves people harmed by generic drugs no recourse.
The New York Times paints a grim picture. The woman, Karen Bartlett of New Hampshire, suffered dreadful injuries after taking a generic version of an anti-inflammatory drug, Sulindac, for shoulder pain.
"She suffered severe reaction in which two-thirds of her skin sloughed off," the Times said. "She was left permanently disfigured, legally blind and with permanent damage to her lungs and esophagus."
Justice Alito, writing for the majority, said the generic company, Mutual Pharmaceutical, was not liable because it had no power to change the chemicals or the warning label.
It's a typical made-up reason for a court decision. As the liberal dissenters declared, the company should pay compensation for any harm done and consider taking the drug off the market.
Bar to deportation
The Supreme Court recently ruled, 7-2, that a conviction for marijuana distribution under Georgia law should not result in automatic deportation. A Jamaican, legally in the United States, was ordered deported by an immigration judge.
His offense? Possessing 1.3 grams of pot. The amount makes two cigarettes. Justice Sotomayor, writing for the majority, noted the absurdity of deportation for a misdemeanor.
Jake Highton is an emeritus journalism professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.


text:
Thy Neighbor
A Novel
Norah Vincent - Author
Paperback | $16.00 | add to cart | view cart
ISBN 9780143123668 | 320 pages | 30 Jul 2013 | Penguin | 8.26 x 5.23in | 18 - AND UP
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Summary of Thy Neighbor Summary of Thy Neighbor Reviews for Thy Neighbor An Excerpt from Thy Neighbor
Norah Vincent's first two books—the New York Times bestseller Self-Made Man and Voluntary Madness—were masterworks of immersion journalism. Now Vincent unleashes her considerable talents in a spellbinding novel that's as provocative and absorbing as her acclaimed nonfiction.
Since his parents' violent deaths thirteen years ago, Nick Walsh has been living alone in his childhood home, drinking, drugging, and debauching himself into oblivion. Deranged by his relentless sorrow, he begins spying on his neighbors via hidden cameras and microphones. As he observes all the strange, sad, and terrifying things that people do when they think no one is watching, Nick begins to unravel the shocking truth about how and why his parents died.
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|Fedex Ground CA to CA
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Lay this beauty down if you like, as it will continue to improve over the next few years; or decant and let it breathe a bit before enjoying with hearty beef and lamb dishes. Optimum enjoyment will likely be through 2020.
* S.F. Chronicle Wine Competition
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The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life.
Feb 29, 2012
Mitt Romney won the Arizona Republican primary by a large margin and secured a narrow victory in the Michigan Republican primary. In both states, Romney's support among born-again/evangelical voters was weaker than among non-evangelicals, continuing the pattern from previous primaries and caucuses in other states. Rick Santorum, who finished second in both Arizona and Michigan, received his strongest support from evangelicals and from voters who said it matters a "great deal" to them that a candidate shares their religious beliefs, according to results from the National Election Pool exit polls.
In Michigan, 39% of the GOP electorate was comprised of white evangelical Protestants. Santorum was the clear winner of the evangelical vote, receiving 51% support from this group, compared with 35% for Romney. The balance of opinion was reversed among non-evangelical voters in Michigan, with 45% voting for Romney and 30% supporting Santorum. Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich each finished far behind Romney and Santorum among both groups of Michigan GOP voters.
There were few differences by religious affiliation in the Michigan primary. Among Protestants in the Michigan exit poll, 40% voted for Romney and 42% supported Santorum. Among Michigan Catholics, 44% voted for Romney while 37% backed Santorum.
Santorum won the support of more than six-in-ten Michigan voters (63%) who said that it matters a "great deal" to them that a candidate shares their religious beliefs. Romney and Santorum ran about even among voters who said candidates' religious beliefs were "somewhat" important. And Romney was the clear favorite among the 44% of Michigan voters who said that the candidates' religious beliefs were not a key factor in their voting decision.
Read the full report, Religion and the 2012 Republican Primaries: Arizona and Michigan, on the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Web site.
The Pew Health Group's new Web site informs and engages people about issues that affect their health and well-being.
Spring 2012
Read articles on improving elections, the changing news environment, improving school lunch standards, and more.
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Spectacular apartment in Plaza VIeja, Old Havana
Havana, Cuba Bed & Breakfasts
Independent apartment for rent located at the heart of La Habana in the Plaza Vieja Conde de Lombillo Palace. The apartment is fully furbished, plenty of light and very well ventilated. Description: 1 living room with kitchenette, 2 balconies (fa...
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My proud Havana
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Nice rooms with private bathroom, shower, cold hot water, TV, DVD player and air conditioner....
35 Euro Per Night
La casa de Oralia
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I rent legally two rooms in the geographical center of Havana, with good conditions (air conditioned, phone, tv, hot water 24 hours, etc) and a share bathroom. One has a double bed and the other two single personal beds. Optional meals & laundry....
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Gisela´s: Comfort and privacy in Nuevo Vedado
Havana, Cuba Bed & Breakfasts
A huge residence located in Nuevo Vedado. Comfortable and spacious rooms, full of light. A swimming pool. Two rooms with its own bathroom and safe box. Delicious breakfasts. Excelent service. Privacy and quietness guaraanteed....
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Casa Iraida is a nice and cozy apartment in Vedado. It enjoys a great location, very near from La Plaza the la Revolution where is the bigest picture of "Che Gevara". We offers many facilities....
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Typical House Havana colonial style
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Beautiful colonial House in the Avenue Presidents.
Havana, Cuba Bed & Breakfasts
Elaine family is a fantastic colonial house on an exclusive Havana Street Avenida de los Presidentes, a few meters from the 'Malecon Habanero.It is set on a quiet residential street in the heart of Vedado, one of Havanas most beautiful districts....
Starting at 30 Euro Per Night/Room
La Casa de Ana, 'Home away from Home'
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BlueBuilding apartment for rent in Havana City.
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Our accommodation for rent is totally private and safe. It has a well equipped kitchen (if you are interested in cooking), refrigerator, air conditioning in the rooms, hot/cold water shower bathroom. The price are per bed room, not per person....
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Our home is located 2 block from the famous Malecon. We offer you comfort in a family environment. 2 rooms with the amenities of a hotel, air condition, TV and refrigerator, 4 capacity. Infanta # 204 E/ San Lazaro y Jovellar Centro Habana ...
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Cycling tours of one week in small groups: a great way to get to know the country. Well accompanied by a professional guide on wheels, slow pace and easy tracks. Bikes, accomodation, follow car and meals included....
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Top Beach Travels is an Italo-Panamanian travel agency operating in Cuba, wich offers atractive prices, high proficiency, not, only in conventional tourism, but also in nautical activities, and other specialized programs....
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In the Buen Viaje Hostel, located in the city of San Juan de los Remedios, we rent 3 double rooms with air conditioning, comfortable beds and private bath. The guest can also enjoy furnished rooms to the colonial style, a fresh terrace with comfort...
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Accommodation in Havana, Cuba. 3-room apartment.
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We offer a cozy apartment for rent in a very centric zone of El Vedado. The same has: hall, dining room, 3 air-conditioned bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, terrace and balcony. The guest will also enjoy: refrigerator, TV set, reproduction equipment, pone and ...
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The Villa has 5 bedrooms in a quiet residential area of Havana, Siboney. The property is fully staffed with security guard, maid, concierge and cook. We provide driver service 12 hours per day....
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La Orquidea
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El Vedado is the district in the centre of La Havana and it represents a financial area with important companies, ministerial offices, shops and commerce. Also you can find easily many restaurants and bars with the 40 and 50's Cuba athmosphere...
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Connect2cuba is the website that offers you more than 100 particular houses where you can be as in your own one the time you're vacationing in Cuba. Most of them completely independent. From 20 cuc night to 100 cuc night. From bedrooms to castles....
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Sunlight tours,Cuba's Premier Adventure Company we are specialized in Cuba in thematic, cultural, adventure and fishing tours for over 20 years and we want to share our fishing passions and experiences with you....
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Our subscription packages enable you to guarantee your seats to all of the best Kennedy Center performances.
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Elisabeth Holowchuk and Michael Cook in In Memory of... Photo by Carol Pratt.
-Suzanne Farrell
Elisabeth Holowchuk in Pithoprakta. Photo by Linda Spillers.
Agon was one of the first Balanchine ballets I saw as a young student. It was also one of the first pieces of Balanchine repertory that I learned in school during variations class. I have always enjoyed the ballet—watching it and dancing it. The partnership between Mr. Balanchine's movement and Mr. Stravinsky's music is unparalleled. The first time I performed the ballet, I danced the section that I had first learned in school—the first pas de trois. It felt like such a huge milestone, to be able to take something that you once dreamed of doing and realize that you've reached a place in your career when you can actually accomplish it.
For me, Agon is physically thrilling. It's intense. From the moment the dancers take the stage, the choreography is action packed and very powerful. I've danced two different sections in the ballet—the first pas de trois and the pas de deux section. Both require total precision and musicality. There can be no holding back. It's meant to be enormous movement that pushes your boundaries. In the pas de deux, you challenge each other and that's what makes it work—the back and forth, the give and take.
I'm always amazed at how many details she can store in her memory. The ballet has complicated patterns and choreography. The counts are anything but simple. And it's all there inside her—every moment for every dancer right there. And the great thing is that the information she has flows freely, directly from her to us. It's as close to being in the studio with Balanchine and Stravinsky that we could possibly be.
I love the first diagonal in the pas de deux. You enter very calmly from the wings, take your place... and then it's like being shot out of a cannon! It's hard to pick just one moment. I think what I like best about dancing the ballet is how present you have to be in each moment, particularly in the pas de deux. Because there is so much play back and forth between you and your partner, you both have to be in tune to each other and the weight of the step, the timing, the balance of everything. I love negotiating through the complicated partnering. If you tip too much in one direction, the whole thing could fall apart! But because you really connect with each other and work together, it creates this amazing visual experience from the audience.
I think we dance Agon unlike any other company, because we are coached unlike any other company. We benefit from Ms. Farrell's direct experience with both Mr. Balanchine and Mr. Stravinsky. You can't get closer to the source than that. She keeps the ballet fresh and exciting. The timing, the movement, the musicality—it could have been choreographed today rather than in 1957.
Episodes was one of the first ballets in which I had the opportunity to partner with Bonnie Pickard [a former principal dancer]. I was in the corps, and she was a principal, so I was excited but nervous. Episodes is a hard ballet to count, and the timing has to be very precise, so I was apprehensive on how I would do. But she put me at ease, and I feel I learned a lot while doing that piece on stage.
Episodes is a ballet that can really show off the music with movement. It demands a fullness of body with precision and clarity.
It was an enjoyable experience. Ms. Farrell knows the counts very well, and I remember her taking the time to make sure I knew and was comfortable with them.
One of my favorite parts is when all four girls, the ballerina, and I do a dance weaving together. Everyone at that point is holding hands, and it's very fun.
It's an iconic work and a piece of our dance history that should not be missed!
Mozartiana is a special ballet to me personally because I feel at home in it. I feel like I can be inside the music, and when I'm dancing, I feel a wonderful freedom. I think the choreography touches every part of the dancer and audience because it is both physical and spiritual, and that is what I love. From the moment I learned it, I knew it would be a favorite of mine.
Dancing Mozartiana is very fulfilling. In a way, it is a big mountain to climb, but it builds so well that you feel a wonderful high and sense of accomplishment when you finish. The movements are directly tied to the music and they range from spiritual, soft movements to crisp, virtuoso movements. The whole ballet is very dynamic and full of grace.
I always love working with Suzanne, and Mozartiana was a special experience. Suzanne came to Toronto to teach me the role, and it was so wonderful how quickly we moved and the amount of information she had to pass on. We had so much fun, and she was so generous with me.
One of my favorite moments is the prayer solo at the beginning. Although it's a performance, it feels private and quiet, and it's a beautiful way to start the ballet.
Everyone should see Mozartiana because it is a gem of a ballet combining the excellence of Balanchine, Mozart and Suzanne!
Agon will be always special to me, because it was my first black-and-white Balanchine ballet. This role, originated by Diana Adams, was passed to me by Ms. Farrell, who was coached by Adams herself.
To me, dancing Agon is almost like a chess game; I dance the ballerina part in its very physical pas de deux, where the body gets pushed to extreme positions. Although Agon means "contest" in Greek, and despite the ballet not having a story, I don't feel women and men are competing. I rather believe Mr. Balanchine wanted to portray them as equally important, especially in the way he choreographed the pas des deux—which really invites the two dancers to create different moods throughout it, allowing them to show their individuality, then their trust in each other, until ending as one.
I never saw Agon before Ms. Farrell passed it to me; the first part I learned was the pas de deux, which I performed for Ms. Farrell's "Balanchine Couple" program. Ms. Farrell is one of the most musical persons I know; she really wants you to absorb and recognize the music, and she expects her dancers to listen to the instruments, the silences, etc. Of course, she teaches the ballets with counts too, but understanding the music plays a key role in the learning process. I have to say that since the day she passed Agon to me, it stood in me forever.
Agon is one of my favorite ballets. I love the whole piece. Dancing it makes you feel like you are a part of a perfect machine.
When Ms. Farrell restages Mr. Balanchine pieces, she makes sure they remain as true as they were originally choreographed. For the audience, that's a unique opportunity to see Mr. Farrell's vivid memories performed live.
I enjoy the rare opportunity that Duo Concertant gives us dancers in interacting with each other and with the musicians on stage.
This piece consists of five movements with two dancers, female and male, sharing the stage with two musicians and their instruments. To have the musicians on stage with us creates a very special interaction and an overall different atmosphere for the audience.
In all these years of dancing Duo Concertant with the company, Ms. Farrell has given me the opportunity to dance it with different partners, bringing a constant feeling of freshness to the ballet and allowing me to develop new ways of interacting with each of them, which enriches my dancing.
What I like the most about dancing Duo Concertant is that every movement is different. This helps the artists and audience see how different situations can be portrayed using the same elements in different ways on the same canvas.
As Mr. Balanchine's muse, and probably the most musical ballerina in history, when staging Duo Concertant, Ms. Farrell brings dancers and musicians together as one, delivering a perfect ensemble, impossible to repeat.
Working with Ms. Farrell, I feel challenged every day, every class, and every rehearsal. She is so focused on the work that it makes everyone around her feel this same responsibility. We are a small and close knit group, and Ms. Farrell is at the center of it all. She is committed to every moment—whether it's in class, in rehearsal, or in performance—and she is always striving to pull out our best work.
How is Mozartiana a special ballet to you personally?
The style of the ballet is more classical—it takes me back to my roots of my Russian training and upbringing. Growing up, I was not familiar with Balanchine's works or his style. I was only introduced to it once I moved to the USA. Now, over in Russia and in other countries, they are exposed to a lot more of his work, but back then not so much. Tchaikovsky was paying homage to Mozart when composing the music. And of course, growing up in the former Soviet Union, Tchaikovsky's music is very familiar to me. So Mozartiana is special to me because of this classical tone, of both the choreography and the music.
What is it like to dance Mozartiana?
To me, dancing Mozartiana feels like putting on your favorite pair of shoes. Because of its classical tone, the movement feels comfortable for me. The music is exquisite, and the mood the ballet creates is beautiful.
Why is Mozartiana staged by Ms. Farrell a ballet that everyone should see?
Mozartiana was created on her—it doesn't get better than that! Ms. Farrell knows the ins and the outs of the choreography. She knows why things are the way they are, not just what they are. She lived the ballet and its inception, so she became a part of the creation process. It is an honor to be coached by Ms. Farrell for this ballet, and it is an honor for the audience to watch her hand down her legacy.
What is your favorite moment from the ballet?
It is difficult for me to pick just one favorite moment. When dancing, it is my job to make each moment as impactful and meaningful as possible. So really, they all have to become my favorite moments.


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Specifications & Dimensions
|Controls and Features:
|Cooking Zones:
|None, fixed elements/burners
|Cooktop Control Location:
|Number of Elements/Burners:
|Cutout Dimensions:
|See Installation Guide below product description
|Depth (In.):
|Height (In.):
|4.25 in.
|Item Weight (lbs.):
|Minimum Clearance Above Cooktop (in.):
|30 in.
|Minimum Clearance Below Cooktop (in.):
|8 in.
|Minimum Clearance to Front of Counter (in.):
|2.5 in.
|Minimum Clearance to Left Wall (in.):
|5 in.
|Minimum Clearance to Rear Wall (in.):
|1.5 in.
|Minimum Clearance to Right Wall (in.):
|5 in.
|Width (in.):
|30 in.
|Color Family:
|Color Matching Controls:
|Styling & Design:
|Cooking Bay Style:
|Fixed Bays
|Cooking Surface:
|Gas: sealed burners
|Porcelain enamel
|Power Source:
|Gas or Electric:
|General Warranty:
|1 year parts and labor
|ADA Compliant:
|CSA Listed:
|NSF Listed:
|General Configuration:
|Burner Configuration:
|14,200 BTU Power burner; Two 9,500 BTU all-purpose burners; 5,000 BTU simmer burner
|Installable Over Oven:
|Can install over oven
|Venting System:
Ratings & Reviews
Product Description
Kenmore 30" Sealed Gas Cooktop - Convenient, Powerful
This Kenmore 30" Gas Cooktop 3242 provides four top of the line sealed burners, including a 14,200 BTU Power Burner to heat water fast, and a simmer burner to maintain your food at a steady low heat. With its recessed design and subtle appearance, this cooktop can stay on any countertop and meld with any kitchen. The easy-to-clean grates are dishwasher safe and the rest of the cooktop is simple to wipe down. This cooktop uses an electronic ignition, so the lighting process is automatic. You'll know you're cooking with gas with this Kenmore sealed gas cooktop.
- Designed to kick out serious heat, the Power Burner funnels 14,200 BTUs of flame power to your cooking surface, so steaks sear, eggs scramble and water boils quickly.
- The 5,000 BTU Simmer Burner was designed to deliver reliable warming and ultra-low simmering with a consistent, precise flame, cutting down on scorched sauces and dried out dishes.
- Built to eliminate the need to light and re-light pilots, electronic ignition delivers consistent flames with the turn of a knob, so you can get cooking fast.
- Built to cut down on soaking and scrubbing, dishwasher safe grates deliver a stable surface for cooking, while cleaning up quickly alongside your pots and pans.
- Speed through post-cooking cleanup thanks to a porcelain cooktop surface that helps contain spills, resist scrapes and wipe clean quickly.
Added on August 29, 2009
Overall, others give this:
Reviewers may have received a benefit, like a sweepstakes entry or rewards program points, in exchange for writing a review.
Those benefits were not conditioned on the positive or negative content of the review.
Most Helpful Reviews
(This review is for the Elite version of this cooktop, which was available in the store for about $100 more. It has matte burners and grate, otherwise the same black porcelain finish.) We have been using this cooktop for about five months. It replaced our electric ceramic cooktop, which we had for about ten years. We have become more advanced cooks and needed better control over heat sources. We have a smallish kitchen and don't have a gourmet budget, so we researched a LOT to find a gas cooktop with a range of features that would look good, have good features, and fit in our previous cooktop's location (which is over a drawer).
Things we love about this unit: sealed cooktop is easy to keep clean as are the individual burner units. The cooktop is not set as deep into the counter, which worked well for us. The Elite's grates' matte finish is super functional over the porcelain grates I have seen (which seem to be hard to clean and get scratched up). The grates sit above the surface on a molded ledge without little nooks and crannies, so spills clean up well. Also they are continuous and hold up very well to sliding heavy cookware around. The dials are metal, which is important for heat issues. They wash in the dishwasher if you want.
Things that are fine, but could be improved: the burner sizes do offer a range, including a power burner. But the smallest, simmer burner is still just a TAD hot for delicate sauces & such. This can be managed ok, though. We use the smaller burners more often and so I wish the power burner was in the back. You could use a large piece of cookware and smaller ones, but it would be hard to fit two large ones at the same time. Also, the dials on the right are good for not getting in the way but might be better located in the front. Under the dials, there are open holes that could allow spills to fall into the unit, which would make them impossible to clean. A raised edge to prevent this would be nice. The black finish is nice looking when clean, but needs a little more attention than stainless steel would. And, lastly, when a couple of burners are on for a while, the cooktop itself can get hot from radiated heat, but, again, that is manageable.
I think it is a great unit for the price, with more features and better construction than some much pricier name brand models we considered.
Pittsboro, NC
via sears.com
I am about to get my third replacement in less than a year and I've only cooked on my most recent one for just over two weeks. The **** markings, including Kenmore brand logo, are already gone. I only used a little warm soapy water and a soft cloth to clean it. The stainless steel scratches very easily. Although it functioned fine, I would not recommend buying this cooktop. I'm now replacing it with something else. I've used Kenmore products for 30 years and this is my first reject.
Marshall, IL
via sears.com
I purchased this cooktop in September of 2012 as part of a total kitchen remodel. I originally purchased a slightly cheaper kenmore cooktop but sears sent this model after it was found the original cooktop I purchased was no longer available. The associate assured me the model 3242 was a better cooktop that would be easier to clean. Unfortunately, that was not the case. We have had a few minor spills that will only come off with mild abrasives which end up scratching the stainless finish. Also, after only two months the labels on the burner knobs started to rub off when wiped only with a wet rag. The cooktop burners perform well but I do not recommend purchasing due to the poor durability of the finish.
The reviewer indicated they are affiliated with this product.
Houston, TX
via sears.com
I recently purchased this cooktop. It does function in that it turns on and has the expected flame. However, it is so poorly designed that it is hazardous. The control knobs heat up to such a degree when the cooktop is on that they are way too hot to touch with bare hands. An accidental burn is a decided probability. I needed an oven mitt to turn the burner off. This is dangerous and it is thoroughly inexcusable to sell this product. I am a very unhappy purchaser.
Columbus, NC
I purchased this product in January, 2011. The cooktop works well; however, the knobs have cracked and the paint indicating the temperature has peeled off. I called Kenmore but received no help at all. I will NEVER purchase another Kenmore product.
Gonzales, LA
When I first had this installed, I loved the way it looked and it cooks great. But it scratches soooooo easy! It looks terrible now and I've only had it a month...I tried to be very careful cleaning it but if there is a little speck or something on the cloth IT WILL SCRATCH! I know stainless steel scratches some but this is ridiculous. As far as how it cooks I had no problems.
Saint Francisville, LA
via sears.com
This cook top is really beautiful! The gas jets works wonderfula and was so easy to install! Easy to clean and I am looking forward to cooking for the holidays! Oh and got it on sale too!
Baltimore, MD
via sears.com
I absolutely love it. It is easy to clean. The sealed burners prevent baked/burnt on splash spots. It is great looking and just was a great choice.
Lutcher, LA
via sears.com
This cooktop makes a really nice appearance and seems to be sturdy. I needed it for a leased house and it seems to be a wise choice. It is easy to keep clean and simple to operate. So far, I am pleased with the purchase. The stovetop arrived and was installed on the date promised. The installer, Chris, was extremely courteous and helpful.
Sun Valley, NV
via sears.com
It was out of the box and totally installed in less than five minutes. It took longer to get the old one out than it did to install the new one. I love how easy it is to control the flame level.
It was out of the box and totally installed in less than five minutes.
It took longer to get the old one out than it did to install the new one.
I love how easy it is to control the flame level.
Shingle Springs, CA
via sears.com
Nice Stove, However it does have shortcoming. Big Burner next to Controls. Heats up Control Knobs to touch and burns fingers. Wife Poured Contents onto Large Pot and it slid like a Hockey Puc across the Grate, this Happened twice it is an Accident waiting to Happen. If you'r Cooking all Morning Controls Knobs Heat up too much to Touch. Low simmer is too High, (Propane). If you put a Gridle on Top and make Toritillas your hands will heat up too much to point of Iritation. Previous GE Glass Top Stove did not have these Problems. It may be the All porcelain Design that is inherint with These Problems. Stove is Sturdy Good Contruction. But I have to find one that will suite our Needs. If you just want to heat a can of Corn and you are not cooking all the time this is the Stove for You.
Nice Stove, However it does have shortcoming. Big Burner next to Controls. Heats up Control Knobs to touch and burns fingers. Wife Poured Contents onto Large Pot and it slid like a Hockey Puc across the Grate, this Happened twice it is an Accident waiting to Happen. If you'r Cooking all Morning Controls Knobs Heat up too much to Touch. Low simmer is too High, (Propane). If you put a Gridle on Top and make Toritillas your hands will heat up too much to point of Iritation. Previous GE Glass Top Stove did not have these Problems. It may be the All porcelain Design that is inherint with These Problems. Stove is Sturdy Good Contruction. But I have to find one that will suite our Needs. If you just want to heat a can of Corn and you are not cooking all the time this is the Stove for You.
- FREE Local Delivery on Appliances! Items sold by Sears. Offer ends 01-Jun-2014 See details.
- Buy More Save More on Kitchen Appliances! Get an Extra 5%-10% off when you Buy 3 or more. Offer ends 03-May-2014 See details.
- Extra 5% off with Sears card OR 0% interest for 12 months on appliances priced $299 and over Offer ends 26-Apr-2014 See details.


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About Avatar28
Yes but how do they get paid? All of the payment processors have been ordered to stop doing business with them. No credit cards, no paypal, etc. About the only thing left is going to be like bitcoin and such and most people aren't going to go to that much trouble.
I think the argument is that because they are still under copyright when the law is passed it can still apply. They couldn't for example, change the law to say that it's now lifetime plus 200 years and place things that had already entered the public domain back under copyright.
Not saying that they're correct but that is the most likely argument.
The problem is that most of those apps can't survive a wipe of the phone. Hard reset and it's yours. As much as dislike apple, something similar to what they do with the iphones/ipads where it ties it to your account and requires your password to unlock it seems reasonable to me.
I would gladly pay an extra $10 up front on my phone. Hell, I'd be glad to pay and extra $20 up front on my phone.
All I ask in return is one little thing. In return for my guaranteed up front payment, I should have free or at least heavily discounted access to the music streaming services of my choice. So I won't need to pay the monthly fee for Xbox music, Beats, Pandora, Spotify or whatever I happen to want to use for as long as I own that phone. I don't begrudge the company a few bucks to cover bandwidth and server costs but since royalty fees are a big part of the cost I should save a ton of money over the two years or so I will own my phone.
Well, yeah, but if you take away words then there go all web pages, email, written weather forecasts etc since those are all made up of words. Images? Welp, there went any pictures. So no maps or anything like that either.
Not to take his side but, in the UK at least, you DO pay a tax on your TV and radio that goes to pay for content. So there IS precedent. But that's a special situation I think.
Same here. Music deleted. Oh, wait. I didn't have any of his music anyways. Tell me again why he should get a cut of my mobile phone purchase? Also if smartphone prices go up by $400, well, I guess I'll stick with what I have now until it dies and then it's dumbphone time.
IIRC, one of the companies that made one of those phone book on CD products several years back got sued for copyright infringement. The courts ruled that a list of phone numbers was not copyrightable as it is just raw factual data. The phone book itself (with it's layout and such) could be covered by copyright but the data within the phone book (i.e. the numbers) could not. I believe this would be no different.
Okay, so apparently I'm one of the 15 people on the planet not happy with this. In light of today's announcement, I have canceled my X1 preorder. The sharing and library thing were going to be huge. I was also really looking forward to not having to have a disc in the drive and being able to swap between games without having to get up. Now they've simply taken away far too much.
I refuse to buy games on demand and I very VERY rarely buy the XBLA games. We have two 360s in the house, one for me and one for the boys. If I buy a game on XBLA or GoD I can only ever play it on that one console. If I want to let my kids or nephews play it they will have to either take over my console and TV or I will have to transfer my profile and be actively signed in to that console. This is BAD DRM. On the other hand, the X1's DRM was much less intrusive. You can argue that any DRM is bad but I think the benefits of what they were offering outweighed the negatives.
Okay, fine. If the name isn't enough of a giveaway, how about the size? An ebook is going to be 1-2 MB at most. A tv episode is going to be MUCH larger. Oh, how about the file contents? Opening the torrent file or magnet link will give you the file names, none of which are video formats.
I disagree. Much as I don't like the MPAA, a win for Bouchat would be a blow to fair use via the precedent. If Bouchat loses then we have a precedent supporting fair use that can then be used in other court cases (assuming the court buys that argument, of course).
Precedent supporting fair use > a loss to the MPAA.
From the sound of it, people are having problems that they refuse to fix. Sounds to me like they aren't providing the service they are contracted to and therefore the contract should be able to be broken by the other parties.
It's not really on topic, but if you're smoking pot and it's ruining lives, you're doing it wrong.
This a hundred times. What if I said something that managed to seriously piss off someone powerful in China. Or, hell, even some country in Europe decides that I should be criminally charged for something I said. They demand the US extradites me to face trial there. They say they have lots of evidence but shouldn't have to show it. Is the US just going to roll over? No? Then why should they expect other countries to for them?
I'm skeptical that they would infect your computer to prevent it from working outside of their network. If they did then that would be a serious lawsuit waiting to happen.
I don't think some of those words mean what he thinks they mean.
I'm curious, can you go into more detail on the case you're talking about?
They should try to identify any high-ranking politicians, lobbyists, etc in the database and then release their data to make the point about what such a bad idea it is. If it's a general hack the politicians will be all, "yeah, that's not good." But by releasing their own data then suddenly it's "Oh crap! We need to reconsider this, it's clearly a bad idea."
Nice try, Carreon's wife. Nobody's going to fall for your trolling. Although I will say that if he wins you clearly need to give him anal (giving or receiving, doesn't matter) and not just a bj.
Interesting that Google tried to snatch up .live. I can only imagine that they did that just to hold it hostage from MS.


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