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Salomon offers a wide variety of compression garments, including its very popular Exo tight models. Those products are outstanding, but not all of us want to run in body-hugging Lycra all the time and even 3/4 length tights can be too hot for much of the year. Enter the Salomon Exo Wings Twinskin Short M. The Exo Wings Twinskin Short has mid-thigh length Exo compression shorts for excellent performance covered by a second pair of light-weight shorts for excellent modesty. Now you can race your butt off ... without showing it to everyone! The shorts include a pair of rear waist pockets, an inner key pocket, and reflective accents. [Note: We carry the all-black version of these shorts. The image of the rear shows an alternate silver on black version.]
Run easier, longer and recover better. These shorts combine EXO muscle support and compression with a lightweight outer shell and single layer between thighs to avoid chafing.
Fit and Sizing
Sizing should be done by measuring the quad at its greatest circumference rather than by waist measurement. THIS IS IMPORTANT!Here's the sizing:
- Extra Small: 18 7/8" - 20 1/2" (48-52 cm)
- Small: 20 7/8" - 22" (53-56 cm)
- Medium: 22 1/4" - 23 5/8" (57-59 cm)
- Large: 23 5/8" - 24 3/4" (60-63 cm)
- Extra Large: 25" - 26 3/8" (64-67 cm)


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Customizable in 120 colors
Have some fun, or design something with a special someone in mind, and custom create a super unique Q7—choose from 120 bold color combinations that are sure to match any personality and style.
Ramp up your fun and your image size with the PENTAX Q7, the smallest, lightest interchangeable lens system in the world, now featuring an upgraded 1/1.7 inch, back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, available in 120 edgy color combinations that are sure to match your personality and style. Expand your artistic endeavors with the Q-mount's family of seven specialty lenses including the new mount-shield lens for a dreamy pinhole-camera effect. Maximize your creativity with the Q7's outstanding bokeh control, and its 19 smart effects and filters for more expression and image quality than your cell phone ever dreamt of. Share your shots with eye-fi card compatibility for fast and easy image transfer. Pocket your super-compact, lightweight Q7 and take your colors with you everywhere you go for effortless, inspired photography—at the party, on the beach, or even on your way to work. It's your world, your camera, your way, with the PENTAX Q7.View Demo
Have some fun, or design something with a special someone in mind, and custom create a super unique Q7—choose from 120 bold color combinations that are sure to match any personality and style.
The PENTAX Q-mount system is a complete line up of lightweight, compact PENTAX Q-lenses, made with every photographer's desires in mind. Choose from a family of seven specialty PENTAX lenses to use with your Q7—prime, zoom, wide-angle, fish-eye, and the new mount-shield lens for a dreamy pinhole-camera effect. A Q-mount to K-mount adapter is also available for purchase.
Now featuring an upgraded 1/1.7 inch, back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, with 12.4 megapixels for larger, more beautiful pictures than ever. Capable of producing 12 bit DNG RAW and JPG images, the backlit CMOS sensor is a highly efficient light-gathering instrument designed specifically to produce very low noise at high levels of sensitivity.
Use the Q7's 19 different smart effects, creative user modes and filters, all with multi-layering capabilities, for more expression with higher image quality than your cell phone ever dreamt of. Enhance your digital photography by applying any series of these effects to your images—Brilliant Color, Vintage Color, Warm Fade, Bold Monochrome, and Water Color are just some of the Smart Effects available, which can also be assigned to the Q7's Quick Dial.
Conveniently choose from a variety of creative modes, Smart Effect options, or camera settings to assign to the Q7's Quick Dial located on the front of the camera. Easily customize the setting or effect using the Quick Dial's 4 positions, allowing you to concentrate on photography without having to explore the camera's menu system.
Capture stabilized, blur and dust free images even in low lighting courtesy of the Q7's sensor-shift Shake Reduction system with integrated DRII Dust Reduction. Body-based Shake Reduction operates independently of the Q7's lenses, allowing the same level of stabilization regardless of lens selection.
The Q7's built-in popup flash adds the perfect amount of extra light to an image, while its high extension naturally reduces the red-eye effect common to compact cameras. The Q7's flash is effective to 23 feet at 200 ISO, and covers a wide angle 28 degree field of view.
Compose images and video either with the Q7's LCD monitor or using a shoe-mounted viewfinder attachment available as an optional accessory for the 01 Prime Lens. The External Viewfinder O-VF1 makes an excellent accessory to the Q7, offering outstanding compositional framing, even in the brightest sunlight where viewing an LCD screen can sometimes be a challenge.
Enjoy effortless bokeh control with the Q7's bokeh control filter. Traditionally controlled through a DSLR lens's aperture, bokeh is the out of focus portion of the background that helps to emphasize the subject, drawing the viewer's eyes to the most important part of the photo. The Q7 assists the experienced and casual photographer alike by offering a fine degree of extra control over image bokeh via an in-camera filter operation.
Easily capture or review images and video using the Q7's large 3 inch LCD monitor. The high quality LCD features HVGA resolution with 460,000 dots, as well as viewing angles up to 170 degrees horizontally and vertically, now with an advanced anti-reflection coating, perfect for use in bright sunlight.
An upgraded auto focus algorithm and image sensor contribute to faster and more accurate auto focus performance than previous models.
Experienced photographers will enjoy the power and flexibility of traditional DSLR shooting modes such as Program, Aperture/Shutter Priority, and Metered Manual exposure control. Yet casual shooters will appreciate the highly convenient automatic modes such as the set-it-and-forget-it PENTAX Auto Picture and 21 scene modes.
In-camera HDR capture mode shoots 3 images of varying exposures, blending them to bring out the details in even the darkest shadows and brightest highlights of extreme contrast shots.
A built-in micro HDMI port is perfect for outputting high resolution images and video, with sound, to modern HDTVs.
With Eye-Fi wireless LAN SD memory cards, the user can automatically transmit recorded images to a smartphone, and even select favorite images and resize them before transmission.
Capture all the fun, even the fastest action with the five frames per second continuous shooting mode, ideal for sporting events, parties, or any fast action situation. Shutter speeds range from 1/2000 to 30 seconds, perfect for freezing fast action or capturing long nighttime exposures. Bulb mode adds flexibility for low light photography and motion effects.
High sensitivity shooting up to 12800 ISO range improves noise performance throughout, even in low lighting.
The Q7 includes SILKYPIX Developer Studio 3 software for powerful and flexible RAW file processing. In-camera RAW image development is also supported for quick output of your enhanced jpegs.
Shoot high quality motion video with stunning full 1080p HD clarity at 30 frames per second. The Q7 efficiently processes the full HD video using high quality h.264 compression for superior color and detail. Explore creative video effects through the use of custom image modes, digital video filters, and interval shooting; or select from a variety of Q-mount lenses to realize your perfect artistic vision.
The Q7 is compatible with the latest generation SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards for ultra-high capacity storage as well as outstanding image file portability.
Lens-interchangeable SL digital-still camera (Digital Hybrid ILC)
Type: 1/1.7" Backlit CMOS w/ primary color filter
Type: PENTAX bayonet Q-mount
Focus System
Type: Contrast detection AF
LCD Monitor
Type: 3.0-inch TFT color LCD monitor, wide angle viewing, AR coating
Type: Built-in retractable P-TTL flash
Storage Media
Removable memory: SD, SDHC, SDXC and Eye-Fi Card
Power Supply
Power source: Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery D-LI68
Physical Specs
Dimensions (W x H x D): Approx. 4"(W) x 2.3"(H) x1.32" (D) (exc. Operating parts and protrusions)
World Time: World Time settings for 75 cities (28 time zones)
Language Support
English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek, Russian, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese
Image Stabilization
Still: Sensor shift Shake Reduction
Metering System
Type: TTL image sensor metering, segment metering, center-weighted metering, spot
ISO Sensitivity
AUTO: ISO 100 to 12800 (1/3 EV steps)
White Balance
Auto TTL by CMOS image sensor
Type: Lens shutter: 1/2000 - 30 seconds
Capture Modes
Program Auto Exposure, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual Exposure, Bulb, Blur Control*
Drive Modes
Single frame, Continuous (Hi, Lo), Self-timer (12s, 2s), Remote Control (0 sec., 3 sec., continuous), Exposure Bracketing (3 frames, remote control), Multi-exposure (0 sec., Self-time, remote control), Interval Shooting
Playback Modes
Playback View: Single frame, multi-image display (4, 9, 30, 56 segments), display magnification (up to 16x, scrolling and quick magnification available), rotating, histogram (Y histogram, RGB histogram), bright/dark area warning, detailed information, folder display, date display, slideshow.
File Formats
Still: RAW (DNG), JPEG (Exif 2.3), DCF2.0 compliant
Custom Functions
Custom Functions: 16
Visit our support section to register products, research updates, download literature and contact customer care.

subset: commoncrawl


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18. June 2014 - 20. June 2014
InfoComm 2014
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
InfoComm is the largest and most comprehensive pro-AV event in the world. Visit us at booth #C9729, Audio Pavilion in Las Vegas Convention Center and learn more about our latest products. We look forward to ...
10. October 2014 - 12. October 2014
Rocky Mountain Audio Festival
Denver Colarado, United States


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Accès direct au contenu
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La revue de presse de La Clé des langues
Chaque lundi, mardi, jeudi et vendredi,
La Clé des langues
vous propose plusieurs regards sur un évènement marquant ou insolite de l'actualité de la sphère culturelle anglophone. Notre sélection d'articles est issue des grands quotidiens britanniques et américains. Visualisez les premiers paragraphes sur notre site, vous pourrez ensuite consulter l'intégralité de l'article sur le site du journal. La revue de presse est relayée sur notre page Facebook et accompagnée d'une image du jour :
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(cliquez sur "j'aime")
Today's key story:
25 April 2014 - Obama in Asia
7 February 2014 - David Cameron stands against Scottish independence
10 February 2014 - Mr Hollande goes to Washington
11 February 2014 - A last stand against the flood
13 February 2014 - US and UK approaches to Sochi
14 February 2014 - Valentine's Day
17 February 2014 - BAFTA awards 2014
18 February 2014 - China's poorest beat best English pupils
20 February 2014 - US and UK fracking policies
21 February 2014 - Tory sports minister accused of sexism
24 February 2014 - Scottish independence (follow up)
25 February 2014 - Harold Ramis dies at 69
27 February 2014 - Federal judge rejects Texas' ban on gay marriage
28 February 2014 - Oscars 2014 coming up
17 March 2014 - St. Patrick's Day 2014
18 March 2014 - Crimea : Obama warns Russia
20 March 2014 - Water cannon to be used in London
21 March 2014 - Death of Fred Phelps
24 March 2014 - French local elections
25 March 2014 - Foreign languages in UK schools
28 March 2014 - Church of England accepts gay marriage
31 March 2014 - Obamacare today and tomorrow
1 April 2014 - Best of April Fools
3 April 2014 - Another deadly rampage at Fort Hood
4 April 2014 - Queen meets Pope Francis
7 April 2014 - Equal pay for women
8 April 2014 - Irish president begins British state visit
10 April 2014 - School stabbing in Pennsylvania
11 April 2014 - Parents face fines over holidays
14 April 2014 - UK doctors to offer Skype checkups
15 April 2014 - Britons are 'somewhat' proud of their country
17 April 2014 - Education challenges (US)
18 April 2014 - Ed Miliband signs up top Obama adviser for UK election
21 April 2014 - One in five teachers abused online
22 April 2014 - Ukip's racist posters under fire
24 April 2014 - Shakespeare's 450th birthday
Today's Front Pages
Through a special agreement with more than 800 newspapers worldwide, the Newseum displays these front pages each day on its website. A wonderful resource for class activities around the news.
Visit the Newseum website!
News from around the world
The Irish Times
: A socially liberal and rather left wing newspaper. Founded in 1859, it is one of the major Irish daily information media and offers an excellent online edition.
The Irish Independent
: Founded in 1905, it is Ireland's best-selling daily newspaper. Its website offers regular updates on both Irish and world news.
South Africa
The Mail and Guardian:
A major investigative newspaper founded in 1985. Although it is a weekly paper, its online version offers daily updates on South African and world news.
The Daily Telegraph
: Founded in 1879 and named after the British upmarket daily newspaper, it is rather conservative and offers a variety of sections ranging from politics to 'wacky' news.
The Australian:
Less populist than the telegraph, this newspaper provides its readers with news from all over South-East Asia. It was founded in 1964 and is based in Sydney.
New Zealand
The New Zealand Herald:
Founded in 1863, it is the country's best-selling paper and offers an excellent website with regular news updates.
The Toronto Star
: Canada's largest daily newspaper, with a left of centre vantage point. It was founded in 1892.
The Globe and Mail:
A result of the 1936 merger between
The Globe
The Mail and Empire
, it is a widely read conservative newspaper.
The Indian Express
: Started in 1931, it is one of India's most prominent daily newspapers. It is renowned for its investigative reports and offers a fine website.
On the lighter side
The Daily Mirror
: Launched in 1903, the Mirror was intended as a newspaper for women, run by women. It now belongs to the buoyant and colorful British gutter press.
The Sun:
Founded in 1964 and sold in the UK and Ireland, it is the pendent of the Mirror on the waiting room table of any good British GP.
: An American weekly magazine of celebrity and human-interest stories founded in 1974.
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mise à jour le 25 avril 2014
Créé le 18 octobre 2006
DGESCO Clé des Langues


text:
- Sacred Destinations
- Germany
- Wittenberg
- Castle Church
Castle Church, Wittenberg
Wittenberg's All Saints' Church, more commonly known as the Schlosskirche (Castle Church), is where Luther famously nailed his 95 Theses in 1517. The church contains the tombs of Luther, Melanchthon and Frederick the Wise.
The Schlosskirche was brand new when Martin Luther was in Wittenberg. Construction on the castle and church complex began in 1490 and was completed in 1509. As part of the castle, the church was originally surrounded by a moat and two bridges led to the portals.
Only eight years after the completion of the Schlosskirche, on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses against the corrupt sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church. Luther posted the theses in Latin and intended to start an academic debate. However, they were translated into German, quickly copied using the newly-invented movable type printing press, and wound up sparking the German Reformation.
Luther usually preached in the City Church, but his funeral and burial took place at the Castle Church. The funeral was held on February 22, 1546, four days after Luther's death in Eisleben. Philipp Melanchthon delivered the oration. When Melanchthon died in 1560, he was buried close to Luther in the Castle Church.
The Castle Church was seriously damaged by fire in 1760 after a French bombardment during the Seven Years War. The church was quickly rebuilt, and later (1885-1892) further restored.
What to See
The stonework of the north portal is original but, sadly, the original wooden doors to which Luther posted his theses were among the casualties of the 1760 fire. To commemorate the 375th anniversary of Luther's birth in 1858, they were replaced with bronze doors that bear the Latin text of the 95 Theses.
In the tympanum over the door is a painting of the same date, depicting Luther and Melancthon kneeling before a Crucifixion against the backdrop of Wittenberg. Luther is holding his German Bible and Melancthon is holding the Augsburg Confession.
Around the prominent round tower (1496) of the church is another tribute to Luther: a band reading Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott - the title of Luther's famous hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." Visitors can climb 289 steps up the great tower for a view over the city. The tower is 288.7 feet (88 m) high, with a viewing platform at 170 feet (52 m).
The Schlosskirche is part of the Residenzschloss, a once-grand Renaissance palace that is now only a shadow of its former self after centuries of fire and war. Today it houses a youth hostel with enviable ambience, accessed via a unique external staircase in the western wing.
The floor plan of the Castle Church is a simple one: a nave with narrow side aisles leading directly into the choir with no transept. At the entrance to the choir are the simple tombs of Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon.
The bronze plaque on the tomb of Luther is a replica made in 1892. Its abbreviated Latin epitaph roughly translates: "Here lies the body of Martin Luther, Doctor of Divinity, who died at Eisleben, his birthplace, on the 12th of the Calends of March, in the year 1546, when he had lived 63 years, 3 months, and 10 days." His actual coffin is buried 2.4 meters below the marker.
The epitaph on Melanchthon's tomb reads: "Here rests the body of the most commendable Philipp Melanchthon, who died on 19 April 1560, in this town after he had lived for 63 years 2 months and 2 days."
There are also monuments to the electors Frederick the Wise (by Peter Vischer the elder), and John the Constant (by Hans Vischer), as well as portraits of the reformers and other local heroes by Lucas Cranach the Younger and others.
The nave is decorated with painted designs, heraldic emblems of local aristocracy, bronze medallions of Reformation supporters, and freestanding statues of Reformation figures: Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon, Johannes Bugenhagen, Georg Spalatin, Justus Jonas, Johann Brenz, Urbanus Rhegius, Nicolaus von Amsdorf and Caspar Cruciger. All these features date from the 19th-century restoration of the church.
The wooden furnishings of the interior date also from the 19th century, including the fine pulpit decorated with the coats of arms of Luther-related towns (Eisleben, Erfurt, Wittenberg and Worms) and the Four Evangelists with their symbols. It was carved by Lober, a Wittenberg sculptor. The organ was built in 1863, reconstructed in 1892 and 1935, and restored to its original design in 1992-94. The choir stalls were donated by the princes of Germany and bear their coats of arms.
The main stained glass windows date from the 19th century. Their subjects are the Adoration of the Magi, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and Pentecost; their designs 1re based on woodcuts by Albrecht Dürer. Also of note are three windows with four medallions of Reformation figures each; these were installed in 1983.
Quick Facts on the Castle Church
|Site Information
|All Saints' Church; Castle Church; Castle Church, Wittenberg; Reformation Memorial Church; Schloßkirche
|Churches; Historical Sites
|Christianity; Lutheran
|Famous Grave; Luther Trail
|Visitor and Contact Information
|Wittenberg, Germany
|51.866290° N, 12.637700° E (view on Google Maps)
|View hotels near this location
Map of the Castle Church
Below is a location map and aerial view of the Castle Church. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.
- Personal visit (March 9, 2008).
- Schlosskirche Wittenberg - official website
- Schlosskirche Wittenberg, English Edition (2001). Booklet sold at the church.
More Information
- Castle Church, Wittenberg - Go Historic
- Photos of Castle Church - here on Sacred Destinations
Article Info
|Castle Church, Wittenberg
|Holly Hayes
|Last updated:
|Link code:
|Castle Church, Wittenberg


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2526 Market Ave, Cleveland, OH | Directions 4411341.484353 -81.704619
Neighborhoods: Ohio City
Great New Location, Same Charming Atmosphere – After a few weeks of down-time, Ohio City's finest wine bar has re-opened across the street - next door to The Flying Fig. The space is bigger; but the atmosphere couldn't be cozier! The glass pours and wines by the bottle stand-out for both their boutique selection and outstanding taste. The food compliments the wine perfectly and the various small plates are ample enough to create an entire meal. There's no place nicer to take a date or meet a friend....we had a great time, my girlfriends and I, and we will definitely make this a regular stop.
Best Wine Bar in Cleveland – What can you say, it's the best. Awersome wine list, huge selection. Friendly service, ambiance is great whether you are meeting a friend for a drink or on a special date. Layed back, trendy but not main stream. By far one of my favorite spots in Cleveland.
The place you've been looking for – Simply the best wine bar in the Cleveland area. Selection, service, and most importantly, the ambience, - all outstanding. Location in Ohio City brings an eclectic crowd to this quaint wine bar. Terrific place to enjoy great wine and appetizers with your significant other or a group of small friends. Cozy during the winter, and patio seating outside during warm summer nights. I always have a great time here!
There's just something about wine that puts you on your best drinking behavior, and here's where to practice. – The Scene
Unlike the Edgar Allen Poe story about the man who tragically gets locked in a wine cellar, being held prisoner in this brick-encased bar wouldn't be the world's worst sentence. The smallness of the bar increases its intimacy, and the staff is trustworthy and educated--something to be commended in a place that offers more than 70 wines by the glass, 700 by the bottle.
The Draw
A diverse collection of whites, reds, ports, Madeira and sherries are offered, along with light Hors d'oeuvres. A highlight is the baked almond brie, a soft, creamy cheese topped with almonds and baked in a puff-pastry shell, accompanied with warm baguette slices and a generous arrangement of fresh fruit. The Rodney Strong Pinot Noir is a safe and ripe beginning. Follow with another sure thing, the Ravenswood Zinfandel or a Muga Reserva.
Step back into time – Step back in time and forward to the best wine bar in Cleveland. You may even forget that you're in Cleveland while enjoying the cozy Victorian atmosphere inside or the all to much European cafe outside. Be sure to leave your European accent behind.
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Profile | Adami Langley
- Adami Langley
- Carol
- Brazil
- 6546
- 441
- 50
- Gender
- Female
Hello! My name is Carolina, but friends call me Adami. I'm a Brazilian cosplayer.
I also enjoy photography, games, makeup, costumes, accessories, plushies, weapons customized and props!
Please enjoy my pictures and I hope you all like my costumes...
You can find me too on:
deviantart: http://adami-langley.deviantart.com/,
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/adami.langley,
fotolog: http://www.fotolog.com.br/adami_langley/


text:
Getting kids excited about hunting and the outdoors can come in a variety of ways, but this past weekend I… more
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New Guns & Gear for 2014
Airing this Week on PHTV
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Now on Tablets!
Editor's Picks
The Intermedia Outdoors Network
© 2014 InterMedia Outdoors. All Rights Reserved


text:
TC Electronic Flashback X4
The TC Electronic Flashback X4 puts a whole world of delay at your feet. An impressive variety of great sounding delay effects, 4 foot switches, a 40 second looper, and 4 TonePrint slots make the TC Electronic Flashback X4 the most useful pedal on your pedal board.$249.95
TC Electronic ND-1 Nova Delay Pedal
The TC Electronic ND-1 Nova Delay puts the professional studio delay sounds TC is legendary for in a guitar pedal format. From vintage slapback sounds to classic studio delays like TC ping-pong and panning sounds, the TC Nova Delay covers all the bases.$249.00
TC Electronic NDR-1 Nova Drive
Guitarists everywhere, start your engines, because your tone is about to take a new turn... read more$249.00
TC Electronic NR-1 Nova Reverb Pedal
The TC Electronic NR-1 Nova Reverb puts 5 studio quality reverb sounds, TC is legendary for, in a guitar pedal format. From vintage spring and stereo plate reverbs to classic studio ambiances like Hall and Room sounds, the Nova covers all the bases.$269.00
TC Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger Pedal
The TC Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger is the finest chorus/flanger in the world. Thick, warm, lush tones and total tone versatility have defined the TC Stereo Chorus Flanger for 25 years, and it remains ahead of it's time to this day.$299.00
TC Electronic VPD1 Vintage Pre Drive Pedal
TC Electronic created the VPD1 Vintage Pre Drive Pedal with tone and versatility in mind. Much more than a clean boost or overdrive pedal, the VPD1 also features Top and Mid Boost and vintage style speaker simulation for use as a direct recording interface.$299.00


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The selection process is most straightforward. We have already unveiled our top 40 prospects in the system via the "40 Days, 40 Nights, 40 Prospects" series. Putting together this year's All-Prospect Team is as simple as culling the top-ranked player at each position from that top 40.
The Cardinal Nation/Scout.com St. Louis Cardinals All-Prospect Team includes 12 players – eight position players, including two corner outfielders considered as one group, plus four pitchers – left and right-handed starters and relievers. The left-handed reliever, a constant challenge for the organization, is included separately for the second time. Listed are each player's overall ranking in the top 40, age and predominant level played in 2012, as measured by at-bats or innings pitched.
The Cardinal Nation/Scout.com St. Louis Cardinals 2013 All-Prospect Team
In an indication of tremendous stability at the top of the prospect rankings, a record nine of the 12 are holdovers from last year, with only three new to the All-Prospect Team (names starred above).
Repeaters include three quarters of the infield in first baseman Matt Adams, second sacker Kolten Wong and shortstop Ryan Jackson. Other returnees are outfielder Anthony Garcia, left-handed starting pitcher John Gast and left-handed reliever Sam Freeman.
New members of the all-prospect team include a pair of 2012 draftees, third baseman Carson Kelly and centerfielder James Ramsey, plus one selection from the 2011 draft – catcher Adam Ehrlich.
TCN/Scout.com St. Louis Cardinals All-Prospect Teams – 2006 through 2013
Winners from the previous seven seasons are included for comparison purposes with our TCN/Scout.com Cardinals Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Year in those years listed in bold. The current organizational winners are Seth Maness and Taveras, respectively. The Cardinal Nation agreed on Taveras, but labeled Trevor Rosenthal our top 2012 hurler.
The three 2012 top prospect team members leaving the list for 2013 each had a different reason. Catcher Tony Cruz graduated to the majors, where he remained the entire season, third baseman Zack Cox was traded away and centerfielder Charlie Tilson's progress was slowed by injury, opening the door for draftee Ramsey to overtake him.
In terms of positional turnover, third base remains the champion, with Kelly becoming our seventh hot corner leader in eight years. In recent years, though, centerfielder has seen the most annual change. Ramsey is the fifth centerfielder in five years, following Tilson, Adron Chambers, Jon Jay and Colby Rasmus.
Age and experience
Due to the addition of Kelly, who played at the age of 18 last season, this year's All-Prospect Team has a greater spread in ages than last year, with Freeman oldest at 25 years of age. Last year, the low was one year older with Taveras, Garcia and Tilson all at 19 and Cruz oldest at 25. The average age of the 2013 team at 22.0 years is comparable to 2012 at 21.7 years.
The primary level reached by the average player is listed as Double-A, but mathematically, it is slightly below that level. Last year, it was exactly on the line between Double-A and A-Advanced, so the 2013 team is slightly more experienced.
In an indication of the top prospects marching toward the majors, six of the 12 prospects on the team played the majority of their 2012 campaign at Triple-A or higher. That compared to just two the year before. Ramsey making the team broke a three-year dry spell for Palm Beach (A-Advanced) players missing the Top Prospect Team. Only three of the 12 were at Class-A or below last season.
Our 2013 top 40 series continues: To see the list of top Cardinals prospects and remaining article schedule, click here. You can also read each of the voters' philosophies in making their selections.
© 2013 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com and stlcardinals.scout.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Profilo | Aura
- Aura
- AuraRinoa
- Italy
- 8450
- 338
- 17
- Sesso
- Femmina
I'm a just a girl like every other girl in the world... but I have a great passion: Cosplaying! My hobby started in the early 2003 when I went to Lucca Comics & Games and I saw some people dressed as videogames characters. In 2004 I decided to go back to Lucca with the Cosplay of Rinoa Heartilly from Final Fantasy VIII: I realized a dream!


text:
Andy Kanefield: Five tips to help you stay focused at work
A colleague of mine used to live in Russia and was stuck in more than a few traffic jams on those rare occasions when he wasn't on the subway or a bus. Moscow, a city of more than 10 million people, had a highway system built for fewer cars.
The Russian word for traffic jam is probka — which also refers to a "cork," which one might encounter in a bottle. When you think about it, that's an apt description for a traffic jam.
In a similar way, our thinking and the organizations we lead can get "bottled up" too if we don't have an effective system for reining in our attention and focus.
Thinking can be a bottleneck
One type of bottleneck that can occur is with our thinking. We have all experienced what one psychologist calls a "response selection bottleneck." This happens when our brains try to react to multiple stimuli at the same time. For example, the "multitasking" CEO allows bottlenecks to occur when he or she believes that it's possible to effectively tackle two conscious tasks at once.
We know, of course, that most of us can walk and chew gum at the same time. But, as John Medina states in "Brain Rules," we are "biologically incapable of processing attention-rich inputs simultaneously." Medina suggests that we really can't listen effectively to the conference call and respond to email at the same time.
What is actually happening when we think we're multitasking is that we're doing what some call "switch tasking" — we're switching our attention from one task to another. Some of us may do it more quickly than others, but our brain isn't really processing two tasks at once.
The most common contemporary example of this fight for attention in our everyday lives is — you guessed it — talking on a cell phone while driving. Medina points out that those talking on the phone are a "half-second slower to hit the brakes in emergencies" because our brains have to switch tasks, and this eats up critical time. He adds that "50 percent of the visual cues spotted by attentive drivers are missed by cell-phone talkers."
Not only are there limits for individuals, but the organizations we lead have similar limits. Are there organizational decisions stuck at a bottleneck because you have too many competing priorities?
Our organizations are often very complex, which makes it hard for employees to focus on what will lead to individual, team and organizational success. We're all working longer hours, often feeling like we're moving from treading water to drowning.
How do we distinguish the imperative from the important?
Here are five tips to get started:
? Identify what you're best at.
? Figure out what your key stakeholders value and need most.
? Identify where your answers to 1 and 2 intersect.
? Define how you deliver value differently than your competition.
? Develop a clear and authentic way to communicate your value.
As one psychology professor puts it, "We're really built to focus." What are you giving your organization to focus on?
P.S. As a bonus tip, when meeting with your senior team to discuss the tips above, are there at least portions of your meetings when everyone's smartphone can go into a black box until you're finished? ?
Andy Kanefield is the founder of Dialect Inc. and co-author of "Uncommon Sense: One CEO's Tale of Getting in Sync." To explore how to promote organizational sync through greater focus, you may reach Kanefield at (314) 863-4400 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Stephan Liozu: The value imperative
With the world of business changing faster and becoming more complex every decade, organizations today have to adapt, reinvent, differentiate or die. Over the past few years, the nature and intensity of these changes in the business landscape has created organizational disruption and a realistic need to redesign organizational strategy and leadership approaches.
The process is not easy, and this is why many executives in organizations decide to stay the course, bury their head in the sand, and copy and paste what others are doing. Today, businesses are realizing that they cannot cut their way to prosperity and that their growth potential has been severely reduced due to the continued recessionary trends.
They are starting to look at their business models and are reinventing their value propositions in order to generate customer excitement, boost value-creation programs and capture value through value-based pricing. These companies get it. Many, though, do not.
The following are tips on how you can embrace the value imperative and design and implement leadership initiatives to place customer value at the center of business.
Conduct meetings
Organize a series of off-site meetings with key people to have a realistic, candid and mindful conversation about your value proposition: Why are customers buying from us? What makes us truly different? Are we paying enough attention to our business model? Are we working on the right projects to support our value proposition?
This meeting should be led by top executives to demonstrate the importance of the process. I recommend you avoid the use of consultants, keep the agenda semi-structured to create conversational flow and reinforce that this is a confidential and safe environment.
Define your core
Identify what your true "core business" is that brings most of your revenue and profits: Are we bringing enough value to customers? Are we losing steam in our differentiation? Are competitors catching up on us? Does the core business need to be reinvigorated? Defining the true core business might end up being an interesting process as a team.
I recommend you avoid the use of the constraining and sterile strategic analysis tools such as SWOT analysis, market forces analysis and others. Start with a white sheet of paper and see where it takes you.
Find 'hidden assets'
Identify your "hidden assets" that are creating excitement with customers and generating profit but that you have taken for granted, not paid attention to or underestimated. List these assets, celebrate having them and evaluate their contribution to the overall value proposition.
The definition of what a hidden asset is might get tricky, but it is worth having it. Launch the conversation of what-if scenarios: What if we had more of this or we did more of that? What would be the impact on customers?
Based on the previous steps, start redesigning your core business and value proposition by reinforcing the strengths you clearly have identified and by leveraging your hidden assets. While it is important to fix gaps or work on weaknesses, leveraging strengths and hidden assets might have a greater return.
Eventually, the result of this business model redesign process will need to be integrated in the strategic planning process. This process is critical to re-energize your value proposition and your overall business model. It is also a great opportunity to emphasize with your leadership team that all you need to do is create customer value and increase loyalty.
When times are tough, customers will make quality/performance sacrifices, will try other alternatives to reduce costs and will challenge your value proposition. My view is that the best defense is a calculated offense. ?
Stephan Liozu (www.stephanliozu.com) is the founder of Value Innoruption Advisors. He specializes in disruptive approaches in strategy, innovation and value management. He is also a Ph.D. candidate in management at Case Western Reserve University and can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Donna Rae Smith: Leading for the greater good
"Most of the companies I admire in the world I think have a deeper purpose. I've met a lot of successful entrepreneurs. They all started their businesses not to maximize shareholder value but to pursue a dream." – John Mackey, CEO and founder of Whole Foods Market Inc.
What would the world look like if each of us pursued purpose before profit?
Just a glance at the headlines reveals example after example of leadership gone awry: people failing to do the jobs with which they were entrusted, mired in greed, wastefulness and willful deception. Gross abuses of power and criminality are all too common. It seems time for drastic change.
When will we close the door on cynicism and complacency? When will we say enough is enough to self-serving leadership and instead examine the impact we're having on those around us? How can we begin to seek the greater good before our own interests?
It begins with each of us intentionally pursuing our full potential, striving for a purpose greater than ourselves. When we achieve that, our businesses, communities and people will thrive. Profitability will follow purpose, not profitability for the purpose of self-aggrandizement.
Inspire a vision for the greater good.
Deep down, most of us crave a cause to aspire to that is greater than ourselves. In order to lead for the greater good, we must create an expansive vision of the future that engages and inspires those around us. The vision must be one we're passionate about; positivity is contagious. Those we lead will see that the objective isn't solely about personal success but rather about a work product everyone can be proud of.
There are two ways we can begin to do this. One is by bringing together diverse teams to share their dreams for the company and their part in making it happen. For this to be a success, we must create inclusive environments where each person feels safe to fully participate.
The second way is to create opportunities for leaders to thoughtfully engage around what it means to lead for the greater good. How does each person define it? What does it mean for the organization as a whole?
Recognize the power of relationships.
When we lead for the greater good, we focus on what's best for our organizations and our employees. Leading for the greater good means you don't browbeat people into doing what you want. Instead it's about determining if they want what you want and vice versa. It's about shared goals and full engagement in working toward those goals. This can't be achieved through coercion or with a megaphone. Instead it requires relationships developed through conversation.
In a June 2012 article in Harvard Business Review titled "Leadership is Conversation," Boris Groysberg and Michael Slind affirm the role of conversation for today's leaders. They rightly point out that a top-down leadership approach is on the way out and that leadership that emphasizes conversation is the way of the future. They have coined a model called "organizational conversation," which simply emphasizes intimacy, interactivity, inclusion and intentionality.
As leaders, we need to ask ourselves, which of my actions and habits limit or prevent relationship-building? Am I contributing to an atmosphere of intimacy and trust,or of fear and exclusion? Which of my behaviors are selfish and which are leading for the greater good? Am I investing the time to meaningfully engage with people and learn from them? Are they open to learn from me?
Damaging behaviors include being distant or inaccessible, overly judgmental and critical, and dismissing the contributions of others. Selfishness and bad behavior have been shown to be contagious, as have positive behaviors. As leaders, we must recognize that relationships can't take root in a climate where negative behaviors are flourishing. Shifting the climate to one of positivity and interactivity is incumbent on us.
Give credit to others.
Leaders who lead for the greater good aren't trying to amass credit for themselves. They understand that their employees want and deserve credit too, and they know that by giving them recognition, everyone benefits. It should be obvious that people will be more likely to support your goals when they see your primary interest isn't self-promotion but rather teamwork. Create opportunities to recognize the contributions of others.
Emotion and behavior are contagious. As leaders, we must consider the ripple effect of our actions. Are we going to radiate selfishness, complacency and negativity? Or will we reach for a worthwhile purpose greater than ourselves and choose to inspire positivity, connectivity and hope in those around us? ?
Donna Rae Smith is a guest blogger for Smart Business. She is the founder and CEO of Bright Side Inc., a transformational change catalyst company that has partnered with more than 250 of the world's most influential companies. For more information, visit www.bright-side.com or contact Donna Rae Smith at email@example.com
Terry Cunningham: Reaching the innovator's plateau
A number of years ago, a friend of mine owned a small and successful neighborhood gym, long before the big chains got into the business. In the beginning, he was extremely excited. He poured his heart and soul into the operation. We used to talk about how much potential the business had, the cool clients, the trainers, the community activities — all of it.
Waning enthusiasm
Six years later, his tone changed. Words and phrases like "boring" and "same old, same old" were now part of his everyday lexicon. He lost some clients, whom he labeled as "complainers," and decided he was better off without them. I'm sure you can predict the outcome: He sold the business for a fraction of what it had been worth during its heyday.
Soon after the sale, the new owners ramped up the business, grew their client base, expanded to other locations and took the business to the next level. My friend watched from the sidelines. "I could have done that," he said. And he could have.
Just after selling the gym, during one of our late-night brainstorming sessions, my friend asked me what I thought the new owners would do to give the business a facelift. I asked him, "What do you think they will do?" He was the fitness expert, after all. What would he do if he were starting again? Shockingly, my friend immediately reeled off a list of exciting and brilliant ideas that he would execute.
The lesson I learned that night was what I now call the innovator's plateau. Each of us begins an endeavor buzzing with energy and full of ideas. We get up and go to work each day excited about seeing our vision materialize. Yet after a certain number of years, things settle. We grow accustomed to the people we see every day and notice their idiosyncrasies. We develop routines that aren't stimulating. We tread water. We're bored. We're beaten.
Avoiding the plateau
So how does one avoid the innovator's plateau? Simple. Pay attention. Take your emotional temperature every year. Ask yourself hard questions. Have you peaked emotionally? Why are you bored? Is this really as good as it gets, or are you unwilling to take new risks, financially, energetically, emotionally?
Is someone out there doing a better job? If your board fired the current executives and brought in a new management team, what would they do to fix and build the business? What would your customers ask for if you dared to ask them?
One of the best books I've read is written by Andy Grove, the retired CEO of Intel. In 1996, Grove wrote, "Only the Paranoid Survive." This axiom had a profound impact on me as I was growing my business, and it still does today. So if you find yourself getting bored, consider it an alarm bell. Wake up and innovate. See your business in a new way. And remember what your mother said: "If you're bored, it's because you're boring," so go out and push the envelope. ?
Terry Cunningham is president and general manager of EVault Inc., a Seagate Company. He founded Crystal Services, which was purchased by Seagate in 1994 and integrated into the company's software division, which then became Seagate Software. He has also served as president and COO of Veritas Software and founded, built and led two other successful software companies.
DeLores Pressley: Advocate tenacity
I enjoy the value of a good word. "Tenacious" is a good word. It's defined as: "persistent in maintaining, adhering to or seeking something valued or desired."
As we look at the subject of increasing effectiveness, I believe we must start with this characteristic as our jumping-off point.
If increasing your effectiveness in the workplace is something that you desire and value, then you must tenaciously seek it on a daily basis. You must become a tenacious advocate for the measure of effectiveness that you desire.
With this foundation in mind, let us look at five surefire ways to increase your effectiveness in the workplace.
1. Take a personal inventory.
Note: At this point, I assume that you have goals and plans in place for yourself, your team, your department, etc.
At least once a week, ask yourself, "How am I doing?" and "Am I any closer to my goal?"
Assess which situations have held you back in some way. Before proceeding any further, take the time to resolve these situations.
In order to increase your effectiveness, you cannot move forward with baggage that hinders your progress. People, systems, techniques and the like must be evaluated along the way.
An open and honest personal inventory is a surefire way to increase your effectiveness.
2. Get organized.
Increasing your effectiveness means change, and change is very traumatic for individuals who are not organized in the first place. Organizing your work is key to your ability to do things better, faster and more smoothly.
Do you have a timeline for your goals? Do you have specific action plans to reach those goals? Do you take the time to make a to-do list on a daily basis? Have you cleared your office, workspace and life of clutter?
Getting organized is another surefire way to increase your effectiveness in the workplace.
3. Keep a daily journal.
Keeping a journal of the day's events and accomplishments is a healthy way to clarify your goals and also think things through so you make good decisions.
Journaling your day also allows you to see the tasks and areas of your work where you spend the majority of your time. In order to increase your effectiveness, you must discover these areas and tasks and evaluate whether they are leading you closer to your goals.
It may seem tedious, but making a note of everything you do and how much time you spend is a great way to increase effectiveness. Do this throughout your day so nothing gets left out.
4. Work with the go-getters.
In any changing situation, it is to your advantage to build a small team of allies that you can rely on and trust to do specified tasks or functions.
These people are your "go-getters" — they are self-motivated, disciplined and enthusiastic about their work. Connect with these people regularly in order to build a support system around your goals. Allow their effectiveness to enhance yours.
Powerful change happens when motivated people work together toward common goals.
5. Become obsessed with possibilities.
Protecting a familiar routine that you would rather not change is a surefire way to stunt and, ultimately, decrease your effectiveness. Simply doing things a certain way because "we've always done them that way" will hinder creativity and deflate motivation.
Always be willing to think of the possibilities that lie ahead. Consider new techniques and strategies that bolster excitement within your team. Evaluate (there's that word again) everything in order to achieve success. ?
DeLores Pressley, motivational speaker and personal power expert, is one of the most respected and sought-after experts on success, motivation, confidence and personal power. She is an international keynote speaker, author, life coach and the founder of the Born Successful Institute and DeLores Pressley Worldwide. She is the author of "Oh Yes You Can," "Clean Out the Closet of Your Life" and "Believe in the Power of You." Contact her via email at firstname.lastname@example.com or visit her website at www.delorespressley.com.
From the Ohio Chamber of Commerce: Fostering economic freedom
What is economic freedom? It's the ability to decide how to produce, sell and consume without unnecessary government interference. Economic freedom powers prosperity and is the key to greater opportunity, more jobs and a better quality of life for all Ohioans.
Since 1893, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce has been aggressively championing free enterprise, economic competitiveness and growth for the benefit of all Ohioans. Our united voice in the state's legislative matters speaks for the thousands of individual businesses that we represent, thus strengthening the business climate in Ohio.
At the beginning of each new General Assembly, the Ohio Chamber crafts a legislative agenda. These are the goals that our governmental affairs team will strive to achieve in the next two years. These goals help us to fulfill our mission of improving our state for the benefit of all Ohioans.
With an unwavering focus on improving Ohio's economy and a thorough understanding of the need for public policy supporting business growth and job creation, policymakers tackled many long-ignored problems in state government during 2011-12. And the result has been an improving business climate, a healthier economy and fewer unemployed Ohioans.
Now, we must build upon this positive momentum to further boost Ohio's economic recovery. More still needs to be done to enhance the ability of Ohio businesses to compete, and we must not allow the state government to return to the old ways of doing business.
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce's 2013-14 public policy priorities reflect an emphasis on these goals, and all our priorities serve to advance the important objective of fostering economic freedom. We are committed to working with lawmakers and Gov. John Kasich's administration during the 130th Ohio General Assembly to achieve an enduring economic renewal through the following:
Affordable energy
Maximize the economic potential of Ohio's domestic energy resources and cultivate a diverse portfolio of energy sources and technologies.
Business costs
Unleash the job-creating potential of Ohio employers by reducing the cost and complexity of doing business in the state.
Government mandates
Provide businesses with the freedom and flexibility to operate and innovate without intrusive government mandates.
Government red tape
Maximize regulatory benefits in the most cost-effective manner.
Legal environment
Enhance and protect a fair and predictable civil justice system with common-sense reforms that control litigation costs and eliminate lawsuit abuse.
State constitutional reform
Modernize Ohio's system of government and safeguard the Ohio Constitution from abuse by special interests.
Tax climate
Foster a more competitive tax system that encourages business investment, expansion and location.
Transforming government
Improve government efficiency, effectiveness and accountability to achieve better results at a lower cost to taxpayers.
Workforce excellence
Strengthen the link between education and workforce development programs and the skills needed by employers in today's competitive, mobile and high-tech economy.
As the voice for business in Ohio and the state's most diverse business advocacy group, the Ohio Chamber has several information outlets. Follow the Ohio Chamber of Commerce on Facebook (search Ohio Chamber), Twitter @OhioChamber and on the Web at www.ohiochamber.com. The Chamber's blog "Talking Policy" reports on legislative and regulatory issues that impact Ohio's business community. The "Ohio Pro-Biz Politics" blog follows Ohio's political happenings. ?
Keith Lake is the vice president of government affairs for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the Ohio Chamber's legislative advocacy program, directs the activities of the lobbying team, follows health care legislation and oversees the political and grassroots programs. Lake is also the principal contact for members of the Ohio House and Senate. He can be reached at email@example.com or (614) 228-4201.
Matthew Figgie and Rick Solon: Benefiting your business
No matter what your business is, you need a quality system in place that ensures consistent, always striving for perfect results. Rather than just trying to inspect each product when it is completed, the better solution is to build upfront quality controls and assurances into the system and products. The discipline will benefit your business and your customers. When quality is a guiding principle, everybody wins and nobody has to compromise.
Clark-Reliance has adopted the ISO 9001 system from the International Organization for Standardization, the worldwide "gold" standard for quality. Other systems can also be used very effectively. In our product manufacturing, for example, we also adhere to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' internationally recognized industrial and manufacturing codes and standards for public safety.
One of the benefits of ISO standards is they aim to harmonize various industry and national standards to facilitate interoperability among products worldwide. There are a number of ways quality management systems, such as ISO standards, can benefit a business.
What is a quality management system?
ISO 9001 is based on the principle that a company will deliver quality products and services on a continuous basis if employees follow process instructions carefully and accurately. The standards call for documenting all steps required for a successful operation and implementing automated checkpoints.
When any of the feedback mechanisms flag an error, employees find the cause of the deviation, and the process instructions may be tightened or the operator retrained, if necessary.
The system ties together every part of the organization and its procedures from the time an order is taken to the time the product is built and delivered. In addition to assuring product quality, this system also allows manufacturers and customers to track the origin of materials used in production.
Management needs to be on board
With ISO 9001, all layers of leadership within the organization must fully endorse quality management. Each year, leadership should integrate quality objectives into the annual corporate goals. Then, the team can examine how to achieve those targets and what staff and equipment should be committed to support implementation.
Importance of certification
To be aligned with a system such as ISO 9001, you first need to contact an accreditation agency, which will then put you in touch with an auditing firm. The auditors come on-site for a few days to evaluate the organization's compliance with ISO 9001 quality principles. When auditors identify shortcomings, major problems must be addressed before certification is granted and minor ones receive a one-year grace period.
To maintain compliance, certification must be renewed every three years. Even if a business is not successful in its certification audit, simply going through the evaluation and reviewing the findings can help significantly improve business discipline and adherence to quality processes and procedures.
Research continues to show that businesses that adopt a quality system, such as ISO 9001, are able to grow sales faster and retain customers better than they could otherwise or have done previously.
Whatever quality system or standards you adopt, a formalized process is necessary for your company. The more procedures and metrics you have in place, the more likely you are to be successful. As an organization, you become more "teachable," and eventually, the processes and procedures become naturally integrated into the fabric of the business. ?
Matthew P. Figgie is chairman of Clark-Reliance, a global, multi-divisional manufacturing company with sales in more than 80 countries, serving the power generation petroleum, refining and chemical processing industries. He is also chairman of Figgie Capital and the Figgie Foundation, a member of the University Hospitals Board of Directors, corporate co-chairman for the 2013 Five Star Sensation, and chairman of the National Kidney Walk.
Rick Solon is president and CEO of Clark-Reliance and has more than 35 years of experience in manufacturing and operating companies. He is also the chairman of the National Kidney Foundation Golf Outing.
Your organization looks — and acts — much different today than it did yesterday
When bluesman Eddie Boyd wrote "Five Long Years" in 1952, he was spinning the tale of misery about a factory worker. The fellow had spent five years slaving away at a factory and giving his hard-earned paycheck to his girlfriend every Friday. And then, she dumped him. Left with nothing to show for his efforts but an empty wallet, Boyd's protagonist wails, "If you've ever been mistreated, you know just what I'm talking about."
If your organization survived the turmoil that was the Great Recession of 2008, five years doesn't seem that long ago in the past, does it? But the lasting effects of all that happened that miserable year — and how it's changed how we look at nearly everything today — deserve repetition of Boyd's famous phrase, "You know what I'm talking about."
Sixty-odd months ago were dark times for everyone — not just those of us in business — and we all felt a bit mistreated. The U.S. economy was in a severe tailspin, the stock market was bleeding, and the housing market was crumbling. Companies and people everywhere were hurting — badly. From coast to coast, manufacturers were reeling, jobs were disappearing at a pace few had seen in their lifetimes, and the financial sector — the foundation of the economy — was in ruins.
Think about what your organization looked like five years ago and what you were going through as the first quarter of 2008 was coming to a close. Were you concerned your organization wasn't going to survive into 2009?
Now fast-forward to today: It sure seems a heck of a lot better, doesn't it? And it would be a safe bet to say that your organization doesn't look anything like the one you presided over in 2008.
Admittedly, business is tougher than it was pre-recession. Never mind that the Dow recently experienced its greatest win streak since 1996 and reached record levels; there remains a lingering trepidation among many of us because things feel, well, somewhat different.
That's because everything has undergone a significant transformation — nothing looks or feels the same as it did in 2008. And it's not just because of technological advancements, though the speed at which that continues to evolve is frightening.
The month of April welcomes spring (well, the equinox really happened March 20), and as the season of transformation, we invite you to join Smart Business to celebrate three transformational events.
First, join us April 10 for our annual Perspectives: Women Who Excel conference, where we'll present an insightful round table focused on "Breaking Through Barriers" and the changing face of women executives in today's workplace.
Next, we invite you to take our annual SBN/ERC Workplace Practices Survey, which, each year, takes the pulse of HR issues across Northeast Ohio companies. We've been tracking changes in workplace practices for more than a decade with our partners over at ERC, and we expect to see even more transformation this year.
And finally, nominate yourself or a company you know that has undergone significant transformation for an award at our 15th annual Innovation in Business Awards. This year's conference will be held in September, and beyond recognizing organizations for their ability to transform and reposition themselves to compete in a global economy, we'll present a discussion on the challenges of change and hear from business leaders who have faced the music.
In the end, Boyd's song spoke of misery. But in reality, singing about suffering is cathartic. Airing out the problems of the past is cleansing, especially when you clear the way for a brighter future.
Dustin S. Klein is publisher and vice president of operations of SBN Interactive, publishers of Smart Business magazine. Reach him at email@example.com or (440) 250-7026.
Is email still a viable tactic in 2013?
While email marketing has received plenty of media coverage over the years, the topic continues to come up with clients as they prioritize marketing activities for 2013 and beyond.
In the past
Email marketing was the first social media tool. It was the first channel that allowed a message from one person or company to reach a mass audience while still being personalized in the delivery.
By 2009, the prediction of the year was that email marketing was dead because of social media.
Well, email marketing continues to be a viable and very productive marketing tactic. It also continues to outperform other channels in generating a return. According to the Direct Marketing Association:
Email generates $39.40 for every dollar spent.
Search generates $22.38 for every dollar spent.
Display generates $19.71 for every dollar spent.
Social generates $12.90 for every dollar spent.
So what makes email marketing still relevant today?
There are only two ways to directly and uniquely contact a person to initiate a one-on-one conversation: by email and by cell phone. While some might argue that social channels enable engagement, social continues to be a "group discussion" and not a direct conversation. This means that an email address and a cell phone number are the doorway to direct communication with an individual — a prized asset!
How are companies using email?
- Email newsletters — Email newsletters are the backbone of any email marketing program. What makes email newsletters work today is a dedication to developing content that is truly different, meaningful and succinct that your readers (customers and prospects alike) can quickly read and apply to their business. This is not the generic newsletter of the past containing 10 articles. This is a thoughtfully written educational piece that provides value to the reader.
- Triggered email campaigns — While the usage of email newsletters has dropped slightly in the last two years, there is a rise in the use of targeted and segmented emails. Sending content (emails) to people that speaks to their stage in the buying process significantly increases open rates while also increasing the positioning of your brand as a value-added partner. These are opt-in emails that are time triggered to an event whether that is a subscription date or a recent purchase.
- Email updates in social media — All social media platforms from Facebook to Twitter to YouTube use email as a fundamental backbone of their infrastructure. By actively participating in social networks, you increase the chance of your content being featured in a social update email generated by the social platforms. This can range from general updates about your company to your individual employees being featured as subject-matter experts within the social email.
- Email and social together — Content creates conversation and conversation creates content. Social media and email marketing, when used together, are a powerful combination that engages your audience. For example, if you post a question to a social channel that generates responses from your community, these responses can then be turned into content for an email newsletter or blog. Similarly, interesting and powerful content sent via email can ask people to comment or share their opinion thus serving as the conversation initiator on a social channel.
The landscape for email marketing continues to evolve. Email stands to experience another transition this year as trends point to email readership on mobile devices to surpass the 50 percent mark by the end of 2013. The questions to ask yourself are: How do your emails look on mobile? How will your company leverage the oldest social tool for conversation and content?
Kristy Amy is the director of digital strategy for Smart Business Network. Reach her at email@example.com or (440) 250-7011.
How to create esprit de corps in your organization
Decent bosses typically try to lead by example. As a leader, you must model appropriate behavior to promote the greater good and to send a constant message with teeth in it.
The French term "esprit de corps" is used to express a sense of unity, common interest and purpose, as developed among associates in a task, cause or enterprise. Sports teams and the military adopt the sometimes-overused cliché, "One for all and all for one." "Semper Fi" is the Marine Corps' motto for "always faithful." We commonly hear, "We're only as strong as our weakest link."
However, the real test of team-building and motivational sayings is that they are good only when they move from an HR/PR catchphrase to a way of doing business — every day.
As soon as you put two or more people in the same room, a whole new set of factors comes into play, including jealousy, illogical pettiness and one-upmanship, all of which can lead to conflicts that obstruct the goals at hand. Certainly, much of this is caused by runaway egos. Perhaps a little bit of it is biological, but most of it is fueled by poor leadership. Everyone has his or her own objective and it's the boss's responsibility to know how to funnel diverse personal goals in order to keep everyone on track. This prevents employees from straying from the target and helps avoid major derailments. Essentially, it all gets down to the boss leading by example with a firm hand, understanding people's motives and a lot of practicing "Do as I say and as I really do myself."
Communicating by one's actions can be very powerful. A good method to set the right tone is stepping in and lending a hand, sometimes in unexpected and dramatic ways. This shows the team that you govern yourself as you expect each of them to govern their own behavior. In my enterprises, I constantly tell my colleagues that the title following each person's name boils down to these three critical words: "Whatever it takes." Certainly, I bestow prefixes to this one-size-fits-all, three-word title, such as vice president or manager, but I consider these as window dressing only.
After speeches, when I explain this universal job description, I always get questions from the audience about how I communicate this concept. I follow with a real-life experience that played out in the first few months after I started OfficeMax. As a new company, we had precious, little money, never enough time and only so much energy, which we preserved as our most valuable assets in order to be able to continually fight another day.
In those early days, too frequently, I would see what looked like a plumber come into the office, go into the restroom and emerge a few minutes later presenting what I surmised to be a bill to our controller. I knew whatever he was doing was costing us money and probably not building value. The third time he showed up, in as many weeks, I immediately followed him into the restroom (much to his shock and consternation). I asked him what in the world kept bringing him back. He then proceeded to remove the john's lid and give me a tutorial on how to bend the float ball for it to function properly. That was the last time anyone ever saw this earnest workman on our premises. Instead, after making known my newly acquired skill, whenever the toilet stopped working, I became the go-to guy.
This became an object lesson to my team about how to save money. At that time, 50 bucks a pop was a fortune to us. It got down to people knowing that all of us in this nascent start-up were expected to live up to their real, three-word title. This was our version of how to build esprit de corps. Others began boastfully relaying their own unique "whatever it takes" actions, and it became our way of doing business.
The lesson I learned in those early days was that it wasn't always what I said that was important but rather what I did that made an indelible impression. A leader's actions, with emphasis on the occasionally unorthodox to make them memorable, are the ingredients that contribute to molding a company's culture.
Michael Feuer co-founded OfficeMax in 1988, starting with one store and $20,000 of his own money. During a 16-year span, Feuer, as CEO, grew the company to almost 1,000 stores worldwide with annual sales of approximately $5 billion before selling this retail giant for almost $1.5 billion in December 2003. In 2010, Feuer launched another retail concept, Max-Wellness, a first of its kind chain featuring more than 7,000 products for head-to-toe care. Feuer serves on a number of corporate and philanthropic boards and is a frequent speaker on business, marketing and building entrepreneurial enterprises. Reach him with comments at firstname.lastname@example.com.
A unique new book with an unorthodox, yet proven approach to achieving extraordinary success.
What does it take to grow rapidly and effectively from mind to market?
This book offers an unconventional philosophy for starting and building a business that exceeds your own expectations.
Beating the competition is never easy. That's why it requires a benevolent dictator.
Published by John Wiley & Sons. AVAILABLE NOW! Order online now at: www.thebenevolentdictator.biz
Also available wherever books and eBooks are sold, and from Smart Business Magazine and www.SBNOnline.com. Contact Dustin S. Klein of Smart Business at (800) 988-4726 for bulk order special pricing.


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Jose Valverde: Pitching to Contact
In 2009 with the Houston Astros, Jose Valverde held opposing batters to a 72.5% contact rate on his fastball with a K-rate of 20.4%. In 2010 pitching for the Detroit Tigers, batters made contact on the pitch 83% of the time, and struck out only 12.9%. So his fastball was obviously not as effective last season, right?
While batters made better contact on the pitch and struck out less, Valverde's fastball was even more productive in his first season with the Tigers. In 2009, batters had a .379 slugging percentage on his fastball; this dropped to .284 in 2010. Check out the change in where he located the pitch, accompanied by opposing batters' results.
(click to enlarge)
So Valverde was locating his fastball further down in the zone last season, and while batters were making contact more, they weren't producing the same results as in 2009. One possible reason for this is Valverde's increased use of his splitter. In 2009, he relied heavily on his fastball, using his splitter sparingly. In 2010, he threw both pitches equally. A splitter is typically thrown low in the zone and resembles a regular fastball out of the hand. Batters would have found it even tougher to distinguish Valverde's splitter from his fastball given that he was locating both pitches similarly. And while the result was an increase in contact on his fastball, keeping batters guessing meant less well hit balls overall.


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allezfred, the link you are watching on - which channel of the 12 is it? I am trying on a different computer now because BBC is not working suddenly neither.
allezfred, the link you are watching on - which channel of the 12 is it? I am trying on a different computer now because BBC is not working suddenly neither.
I really do love dos Santos
And yes the Brazilian leos are great
8.633 makes no sense for the Greek girl's E score. She was lovely, pretty form.
Hypolito having a rough meet so far.
Hypolito - wow that is some L4 blue eye shadow!
Hypolito does seem to have trowelled the slap on today.
Boczogo was good on FX!
This is quite a medley of music for Hungarian floor routine! Bon Jovi, Queen, who else???
ETA: Commentators even commented!
ajh. this is so frustrating - I want to watch and everything worked yesterday for the men.
Thiz Czech girl is rather expressive!
So for a person who totally doesn't understand - what is going on? Who goes throught the quali and who gets to go to the competition? Who is good and who sucks?
Pena coming up on Vault. Literally a do or die moment coming up!!! and at the same time.
The top 24 indiviudal gymnasts will go through to the All Around final.
The top 8 gymnasts on each apparatus will go to the event finals.
Look out for USA, RUssia, China, ROmania, GB, Japan, Brazil, Australia, France
Interesting - Shannon Miller talking about her father being a physics professor, and how he taught her the physics of staying on the balance beam. She said the scientific understanding gave her confidence on the beam.
This is like the first group of pairs at a European championships. But some of these ladies are really good at 1, maybe 2 apparatus and at the end of the day, if there scores are in the top 8, the will go to the event final.
Millousi is particularly good at beam, Pena and Maksiuta are particularly good at vault. Unfortunately, like skating, judges are being very tight with the execution marks for this first sub division!
Psst ... for those in the US without NBC streaming: http://livetv.ru/en/eventinfo/127001_olympic_games/
Of course the channels would have to be showing gymnastics, but higher likelihood on Eurosport.
Loves Shizuka, poths, thanks!
So, finally got it.
A warning: Don't download the 11.3 Adobe flash player even if prompted. There are known issues as "now one cannot watch videos anymore" and you have to find that out, deinstall it and install an earlier version,


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Class A recycled water will soon be on its way to Armstrong Creek and Torquay North.
New homes and community facilities in these water sensitive urban developments will have a dedicated "purple pipe" delivering the recycled water.
Not what you're looking for?
The information on this page is for residential customers connecting to Class A recycled water in new developments (e.g. Armstrong Creek).
If you are a business or commercial customer looking to connect to recycled water, refer to the business customers page. If you are a plumber connecting recycled water to homes, refer to the information for plumbers.
Recycled water for business customers
Recycled water: information for plumbers
|What is Class A recycled water?
|What are the main benefits of recycled water?
|What can I use Class A recycled water for?
|What is Class A recycled water not suitable for?
|Can I water my plants with Class A recycled water?
|Do water restrictions apply to recycled water?
|Who will be connected to Class A recycled water?
|How is Class A recycled water supplied to my house / property?
|What are purple pipe, dual pipe and third pipe systems?
|Will recycled water be available to existing homes?
|What will recycled water cost?
|When will Class A recycled water be available?
|Is recycled water safe to drink? What happens if I drink it?
|How can I check for cross connections?
|Do I need a rainwater tank?
|How is Class A recycled water regulated?
|I am a plumber. What do I need to know about connecting recycled water?
Recycled water is a safe, high quality, renewable resource.
Class A recycled water is the highest quality available, and is the only recycled water that will we will supply for residential use.
Recycled water has been used in Australia and other parts of the world for many years.
Recycled water is always in supply, regardless of climate or population factors.
It is not subject to water restrictions, and is cheaper that drinking (potable) water.
Based on EPA Victoria guidelines, Class A recycled water is suitable for:
Class A recycled water will also be used in residential developments for irrigating open spaces such as parks and sporting grounds, and for fire hydrants.
Class A recycled water is not suitable or recommended for:
Yes. All plants can be watered using Class A recycled water from the purple pipe system. This includes edible plants such as fruit trees, vegetables and herbs.
As recycled water has a higher salt content than drinking water, we advise you to direct the recycled water to the roots of your plants, not the foliage. This will protect them from potential leaf burn.
Some plants, including citrus trees, roses, azaleas and camellias may be particularly sensitive to salt in their seedling stage.
No. Water restrictions do not apply to recycled water supplied to new developments.
Similarly, the Permanent Water Saving Plan does not apply to recycled water.
However, recycled water is a valuable resource and should not be wasted.
Homes, businesses, parks, sporting fields, parks, open spaces and community facilities in the new water sensitive urban developments of Armstrong Creek and Torquay North will be connected to Class A recycled water.
All new properties in these developments will be required to connect to recycled water.
Class A recycled water is supplied by a dedicated "purple pipe" system.
The plumbing network in the new developments will consist of two pipelines and two meters at each property; separate pipelines, meters and taps for the recycled water and drinking water supplies.
These terms are interchangeable. We use the term "purple pipe" to refer to recycled water plumbing.
Developments connected to recycled water are variously referred to as "purple pipe" developments, "dual pipe" or "dual reticulation" developments (referring to the water and recycled water pipes) or even "third pipe" developments (referring to the incoming water and recycled water pipes, and the outgoing sewerage pipe).
No. It is too expensive and difficult to re-plumb existing suburbs with a "purple pipe" recycled water system.
Where there are major new developments already underway, we will assess if it is financially viable to service these developments with recycled water.
Exact pricing for Class A recycled water is still under review.
It is expected that Class A recycled water will cost 80% of the price of drinking water (by volume) and that there will be no service charge.
We propose that business and residential users pay the same for recycled water.
Armstrong Creek is on-track for the first recycled water connections in our region.
The recycled water network will be operational from 1 July 2014. Until then, regular drinking water will be supplied via the purple pipe system.
Class A recycled water is not approved for drinking. However, it is treated to an extremely high standard and accidental consumption is not likely to make you ill.
If you accidently drink Class A recycled water, there is no need to panic. Should you experience any adverse symptoms or feel unwell, you should consult your doctor.
In dual-pipe systems, drinking water and recycled water plumbing must be completely separate. If drinking water is mistakenly plumbed to recycled water outlets (or vice versa) it is called a cross connection.
When a house is built in a dual-pipe area, the plumber must arrange three inspections at different stages of construction. The Plumbing Industry Commission (PIC) conducts these inspections to ensure there are no cross connections. Barwon Water requires that these inspections take place, and the stop valve on the recycled water meter is locked shut until the final inspection has been passed.
It's easy to conduct your own plumbing check for cross connections.
If you think you may have a cross connection, contact us to speak with a member of our Connections team.
No. New homes built in Victoria must meet the Building Commission's 5-star rating, which currently mandates either a rainwater tank for toilet flushing or a solar hot water system.
However, a Class A recycled water connection will also meet the requirement as an alternative to connecting to a rainwater tank.
You may still choose to install a rainwater tank as well.
Class A recycled water is strictly monitored to ensure it meets water quality standards in accordance with guidelines set by the Department of Health and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
It is a requirement of both Barwon Water and the Plumbing Industry Commission (PIC) that plumbers complete their work in accordance with our conditions of connections.
In purple pipe areas there are additional plumbing requirements , including the need for three mandatory plumbing inspections during construction of the property.
Information for plumbers connecting recycled water
For general information on recycled water, including the different classes of recycled water and our infrastructure projects, refer to the learning centre page
Learning centre: Recycled water general information
We have developed an information pack of 12 fact sheets on our new recycled water planning, projects and business.
Recycled water information pack
For commercial, industrial and agricultural customers, including new and existing recycled water customers, please refer to the recycled water page in the business customers section.
Recycled water for business customers


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The 25x'25 Roadmap for Kentucky - Charting Kentucky's Renewable Energy Future
The Roadmap is available as a pdf download.
In July 2008, KREC published a comprehensive report that established a vision and a set of recommendations to launch a state-wide renewable energy and energy efficiency initiative for the Commonwealth. The report - 25x'25 Roadmap for Kentucky recommends and supports an ambitious, yet achievable goal for Kentucky.
The 25x'25 Roadmap for Kentucky was created as a guide for stakeholders to find common ground for cooperation and to provide information vital to future planning and decision-making.
KREC is a supporting partner of the 25x'25 National Initiative and endorses the organization's goals and principles. The national 25x'25 organization is a grassroots renewable energy initiative backed by businesses, organizations and individuals united by a common interest in making America's energy future more secure, affordable and environmentally sustainable. KREC joined the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky Farm Bureau, the Kentucky House of Representatives and the former governor of Kentucky in endorsing the 25x'25 goals as outlined in the 25x'25 Action Plan: Charting America's Future.
KREC complements Kentucky Governor Beshear's 7-Point Strategy for Energy Independence, released in November 2008, by leveraging state and federal funds to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy research and development by Kentucky's colleges and universities that will benefit Kentucky's citizens, communities and industries.
Kentucky 25x'25 Legislative Prospectus
The Prospectus is available as a pdf download.
In the February 2008 Legislative Prospectus, "Kentucky 25x'25 Roadmap - Charting Kentucky's Renewable Energy Future," the KREC Advisory Board set out an important part of its strategic vision for the energy future of Kentucky. The full 25x'25 Roadmap report (listed above) identifies targets and opportunities that can significantly accelerate the growth of energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives within the state.
Kentucky Forum on Carbon Sequestration Through Agriculture and Forestry Management: Forum Summary
The Forum Summary is available as a pdf download.
KREC and Energizing Kentucky held the Kentucky Forum on Carbon Sequestration Through Agriculture and Forestry Management on September 10, 2009 at the Frazier International History Museum in Louisville. The forum presented an informative and comprehensive look at carbon policy, biofuels and potential energy crops for the state. A total of 1o8 speakers and attendees came from six states to share information and offer their expertise on agriculture, forestry, energy, research, government, business and environmental issues.
All PDF publications can be viewed using the free Adobe® Reader® software.


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About ADAA / FAQ / Press Room / Donate
Support Groups
Search below for a support group near you, or learn how to start a support group. ADAA does not have listings in every U.S. state or Canadian province or territory but does have listings in Australia, South Africa, and for groups run online or by phone.
|Anxiety Disorders Support Group
|Gresham, OR
|Social Anxiety Group of Maryland and Delaware
|Havre de Grace, MD
|Home Base Parent Support Group
|Home Base Clinic
|Social Phobics Anonymous 12-Step Support Group for Social Anxiety and Related Problems
|Houston, TX
|Mental Health America of Greater Houston Information and Referral
|Houston, TX
|Agoraphobics in Motion (AIM) - Huntington Woods
|Huntington Woods, MI
|OCD Kansas
|Jabara Hall, 4th Floor: Psychology Clinic Group room
|Mothers of Obsessive-Compulsive Children and Adolescents (MOCCA)
|Jacksonville, FL
|Obsessive Compulsive Foundation OCD Support Group
|Jacksonville, FL
|Katy OCD/Anxiety Support Group for Parents
|Katy, TX


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I like control. I know that. I like to have control over every-and-anything that I can. Most of my fears, stressors and anxiety in life comes from lack of control. I don't like to fly, for example, because I feel like I should be able to stop, pull over and jump out of a moving vehicle any time I'd like. I'm probably not going to, but I like knowing that if I had to, I could.
I think, as I sit here watching a clock creep as slowly as I've ever seen it, that is why I am resenting Jury Duty so much right now.
I get it, right? It is my civic duty. I should be proud to live in a free and just country. At the moment, I guess I'm just not feeling so All-American.
Instead, I'm counting by the hours in the . So far, I've gotten to hear Common Pleas Court's Honorable Judge Arthur R. Tilson come say hello to the potential jurors, telling us how honored we should be to attend today's possible hearings.
I've been greeted in the marshalling room, released to get a "break" that could be anywhere from ten minutes to two hours, and even got to watch a DVD telling me what it means to be a juror.
I found it somewhat ridiculous that the county hired out Comcast CN8's Larry Kane to produce a video about jury duty, highlighting all the "no kidding, thanks for stating the obvious" items like how we can't smoke in the courthouse, we must remain close by and how we shouldn't talk about any cases in any capacity. Maybe I'm just mad they didn't hire Patch.
We've been told to wear our juror badges, a handy little pinned-on label, all day long with no exceptions and that we'll be called by a three-digit number for the rest of the day, if we are called at all.
As a busy, working, coaching, volunteering mother of two, I find sitting here all day long to be downright painful. I have a couple million things I could be getting done today. I came, at least, with laptop, iPad, two cell phones and book in tow, just in case I could squeeze in some work. (I am truly typing my column from a sketchy corner behind the vending machines before a grand marble staircase, just because I could find an electric plug there.)
I am hoping we get called. Maybe then we can be dismissed earlier. As a journalist, I find it highly unlikely that I'll ever be selected in my life to serve. I think the members of the media rank somewhere between lawyers and criminals on the list of "folks we'd rather dismiss." I thought putting my job title alone on the questionnaire would get me off.
Alas, here I sit.
It is likely just the feeling of entrapment that is really bugging me. There is no wireless here, and cell phones (which you are only allowed to check in the lobby, during breaks) get terrible reception. You can sign your life away to borrow an Internet cord, with valid ID. (I literally laughed out loud when they told us this.) My poor little Verizon air card feels like it is operating via a tiny hamster running in its wheel. If I sit at the right angle and pray to the wi-fi gods, I can get ONE bar in order to check my mail, assuming I'm willing to watch a blank screen for 20 minutes while it loads.
I know, it sounds like I am whining. And, I am. I find it nearly barbaric to hold maybe 150 people captive like this.
We aren't allowed to eat or drink in the marshalling room. If we get called to the courtroom, we have to hand over all of our possessions to the cloakroom. With today's technology, I feel nearly naked not to be able to use any of it for a whole day.
Somehow, I imagined jury duty to be less painful. I've had to come before, but I guess I didn't have so many responsibilities at the time. I didn't feel like sitting here in the courthouse for up to eight hours was such a loss.
Now, I watch my to-do list grow and grow, while the clock ticks and my day feels wasted. I'm not good at sitting still, and this hurts.
I hope my day ends quickly. I hope we are dismissed. Or the courts all settle. Or they figure out I'm an editor and suddenly realize their error in calling me here at all.
Until then, I'll await my own "freedom" and hope my iPad battery lasts long enough to read my iBook.


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9069 E Indian Bend Rd, Scottsdale, AZ | Directions 8525033.538384 -111.885616
Fri-Sat 6am-10;
Sun-Thu 6am-11pm
Have a good time on the fly and on the cheap. – The Scene
The diner, in its purest form, is about having a stool-twirling, jukebox jivin', people-watching, cherry coke-sipping, french fry-eating good time on the fly and on the cheap. 5 & Diner creates that kind of atmosphere for nostalgic boomers and their young'uns while dishing out American favorites like burgers and fries. So go plunk a quarter in the juke and listen to the Chiffons, the Kingsmen and the Platters while sipping on a frosty chocolate malt.
Scottish Seal Of Approval – Each time we have visited Phoenix from Scotland we make a point of visiting a 5 and Diner as for us it encapsulates everything a foreign visitor expects of American food and service - the staff are loaded with personality and fun, the food is great and the portions are large. On our last trip the staff were superb with our twin boys who wanted to eat at the counter while we wanted to sit in the sun - nothing was too much trouble and the boys thought it was the highlight of their holiday. The only complaint was the "Big Boy"? burger was too high to bite into!!! Dont miss the onion rings or the shakes.
Quick, Yummy, Up to Expectations – For a great quality, quick, yummy breakfast experience -- that meets expectations each time I like to visit the 5 & Diner. They have friendly staff and deliver quality food.
oldfashioned eating for the whole family – 5&Diner has a fun like atmosphere. The service and the food is great. Not just for breakfast but for lunch and dinner to.
Love the 5 and Diner – Great atmosphere. Great Omlettes and one of the only places in Phoenix open 24hrs
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home > stella > dining at stella
Dining at Stella
Wednesday thru Saturday
5:30pm to 8:30pm
Stella will be closed November 1st thru the 15th
and will reopen on the 17th of November.
Rustic Bread ProgramThursday, Friday and Saturday (barring a private event) one hour prior to dinner service, Stella will sell artisan rustic loafs fresh from the wood fire oven. Available in limited quantity reserve your loaves today.
Meet Chef Jacob Burton
Chef Jacob Burton brings a creative and harmonious style to the Cedar House Sport Hotel's, Stella. His unique outlook on the craft of cooking can be chalked up to his culinary journey; developing with each step of the process.
While enrolled at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Burton started experimenting with different fresh ingredients, eventually growing his own herbs, vegetables, and greens. Realizing that cooking was his calling, he volunteered on the staff of the renowned La Folie, a Michelin Star winning French eatery. There, he fine-tuned his cultivations at the CCA, and started blossoming in his own right.
"With his harmonious cooking style already evident, Burton brings his strength and passion for 'everything cooking' to The Cedar House Sport Hotel's, Stella."
Ready to take the next step, Burton took his love to the illustrious Tahoe Mountains where he accepted a line cook position at Lone Eagle Grille part of Incline Village's Hyatt Regency. Gaining experience in the corporate hotel world, he moved on and up, taking the Sous-Chef position at The Big Water Grille. Working under Jay Veregge, a distinguished Chef in the North Lake region, Jacob expanded his cooking window. Wanting to broaden his education, he started a podcast FreeCulinarySchool.com allowing him to network with other talented professionals.
The only challenge left was supremacy of the kitchen. Fredick's Fusion Bistro provided the palate. Burton had influence on every dish, leaving the remnants of his individuality on each plate.
Now, the already avant-garde Stella will benefit from Chef Jacob's endeavors, embracing the journey along the way.


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Couple deny arson chargeMay 21,2013Couple deny arson charge
A Fair Haven couple charged with torching their car dealership denied a pair of arson charges brought against them.
Edward David, 50, and his wife Tammy, 46, pleaded innocent Monday in Rutland criminal court to felony charges of second-degree arson.
They were released on minimal court-ordered conditions after the hearing.
The pair allegedly lit a fire that destroyed their dealership on the evening of March 17.
A Vermont State Police investigation into the fire revealed that the couple left the building minutes before the fire started and that they are more than $1.1 million in debt including delinquent property taxes in the amount of $7,000 owed in Castleton and $21,000 in delinquent taxes owed in Fair Haven.MORE IN This Just InTOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Two fires, one in West Rutland and the other in Middletown Springs, keep firefighters busy, sports and update on robbery at Jenny Wren's in Springfield. 0News Editor Alan Keays, staff writer Darren Marcy and Sports Editor Bob Fredette discuss some of... Full StoryStaff Report Full StoryStaff Report Full Story
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- TODAY'S WEATHER MINUTE: Soil beneath Greenland ice sheet predates dawn of mankind, Hitch faces true Hollawood problem head-on, Mark Twain on school boards, all in today's minute.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Rutland Free Library director Paula Baker will retire at the end of the year, state Senate will vote on new minimum wage legislation and Bennington College graduates win Pulitzer Prizes.
- TODAY'S WEATHER MINUTE: Rutland Herald content editor Rich Alcott shares local weather information and easily digestible news tidbits.
- TODAY'S WEATHER MINUTE: Dresden firebombing helped bring Nazis to knees, killed at least 25,000 civilians, men, women, children, dogs, cats; Veena in Sitka, BIG NEWS FLASH! Old guys get grumpy with age.