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Porcelanosa's journey from mom-and-pop design firm to world leader in kitchen and bathware began in 1970 on the Mediterranean coast of Castellon, Spain. Today, the company's founding family oversees more than 400 showrooms in 70 different countries, exporting the latest in European home design to the rest of the world. Its minimalist, modern designs play on clean lines and muted colors, incorporating elegant accents such natural stone bathtubs or rectified porcelain tile, which mimics the Carrara marble used to build the Pantheon, sculpt Michelangelo's David, and construct the world's first paperweight. Its engineered hardwood flooring draws eyes to smooth planks of white oak in a spectrum of stains, vying for attention against tiled mosaics made of stone, ceramic, or brick.
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The archival specialists at Willow Glen Art & Frame have occupied the same Lincoln Avenue storefront for more than 35 years, and their dedication to the craft remains evident in the way they eschew standard gallery framing techniques in favor of fully customized picture frames. Knowing that each unhung canvas that enters their store is someone's precious heirloom or priceless work of art, the framers take care to consult with customers before suggesting wood, metal, or acrylic styles to best complement the object. Every one-of-a-kind frame comes into being with the assistance of computer-guided mat-cutting technology and glass that protects against harsh UV waves, ensuring that still-life paintings of grapes do not dry into raisins over the years.
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Since 1976, the environmentally conscious staff at The Futon Shop has stocked futons, furniture, and frames built from chemical-free cotton, natural latex, and hybrid soy foam, among other virtuous ingredients. Cushy mattresses, vibrantly shaded futon covers, and platform beds preserve the earth's bounty as effectively as they accommodate human bodies and under-the-bed monsters. Homeowners can also illuminate domiciles with eco-friendly Eangee lamps, which have a carbon footprint of nearly zero and are manufactured by workers who earn a living wage. Even little ones can enjoy the environmentalist furnishings by napping on an organic crib mattress nestled in a bunny white baby crib.
After their house is packed up, the family relaxes while Sacramento Movers' team rolls in to haul all items into its truck. As the job progresses, the crew places padding on furniture and disassembles all tables and robot butlers, reassembling them at the new residence. As the movers pack and transport everything for residential moves, they strive for transparency in their service fees, charging hourly for most tasks and offering free use of wardrobe boxes during the move. Free basic cargo insurance also comes with each move, a requirement by California law.
The crew puts that same effort into moving commercial businesses to new locations. With weekday, weekend, and evening hours available 24 hours a day every day, the crew not only moves items but can also be charged with boxing up computer equipment and setting up at the new office by the next day. Sacramento Movers puts in this kind of attention to detail to help businesses continue running without losing work hours or valuable red staplers.
For more than three decades, the automotive and glassware specialists at Mr. Tint have beautified and protected cars, boats, and buildings with masterfully cut and installed tinting films. Sophisticated computer programs create exact patterns for windows on more than 1,500 different vehicle models, creating a perfect fit for films that block UV exposure and glare while keeping the interior of the car cool and free of embarrassing tan lines. The versatile technicians also specialize in shielding residential and commercial building windows with protective coats of tinting and safety films, which prevent cooling costs from spiraling out of control and glass panes from shattering into dangerous shards. The techs can also customize autos with Clear Bra protective layers that help drivers maintain their spotless paint, vehicle wraps that include vinyl logos and advertising, and colored smoke films for headlights and taillights.
The professionally trained IICRC-certified technicians at Cyclone Air Systems have been caring for homes for more than 13 years. They specialize in a variety of services, including air-duct cleaning, carpet and upholstery cleaning, and HVAC repairs and tune-ups. Technicians harness the power of the Rotobrush cleaning system, which uses dual vacuums to simultaneously brush and vacuum away debris, pet dander, and allergens that can pollute the air and inhibit the efficiency of the HVAC system. The technicians also specialize in cleaning for other household needs such as pet-stain removal, tile-and-grout cleaning, and fire- and water-damage restoration.
Euro-Climate's knowledgeable technicians are familiar with all aspects of indoor climate control, including the installation, maintenance, and repair of all types of HVAC systems. Workers confidently tackle any job ranging from simple furnace tune-ups and 24-hour plumbing repairs to computer-aided-design services for new systems, leaving residential or industrial systems more efficient as they hang-glide back to headquarters.
The shamrock in Emerald State Painting's logo gives a nod to owner Evan Hartnett's birthplace of Ireland, where he first began putting paintbrush to walls. Now with 10 years of experience, he and his crew travel all over the Santa Clara area using high-quality Kelly-Moore paint to revivify interiors and exteriors.


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The Global Project on Measuring the Progress of Societies
From Wikiprogress.org
The Global Project on Measuring the Progress of Societies was established in 2008. The OECD-hosted Global Project on "Measuring the Progress of Societies" was a successful vehicle for raising awareness and mobilising political support towards better progress measures. The Global Project existed to foster the development of key economic social and environmental indicators to provide a comprehensive picture of how the well-being of a society was evolving. It also sought to encourage the use of indicators to inform and promote evidence-based decision-making, within and across the public, private and citizen sectors. The Global Project was proceeded by Wikiprogress and its Global Networks, who continue to build upon the projects work.
[edit] Questions
Is life getting better?
Are our societies making progress?
Indeed, what does "progress" mean to the world's citizens?
There can be few questions of greater importance in today's rapidly changing world.
And yet how many of us have the evidence to answer these questions?
The concept of progress (Latin: pro-gredi) was first used by ancient Greeks. And it is a concept that has exercised philosophers from many cultures ever since. Progress may refer to improvement. But to improve what? Since the enlightenment, people have widely accepted that progress means an improvement in the overall well-being of humanity. But for a good portion of the 20th century there was an implicit assumption that economic growth was synonymous with progress: an assumption that a growing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) meant life must be getting better. But now the world recognises that it isn't quite as simple as that. Despite high levels of economic growth in many countries many experts believe we are no more satisfied with our life (or happier) than we were 50 years ago; that people trust one another - and their governments - less than they used to; and that increased income has come at the expense of increased insecurity, longer working hours and greater complexity in our lives. Much of the world is healthier and people live longer than they did just a few years ago, but environmental problems like climate change cast a shadow over an uncertain future.
Indeed, it sometimes seems that for every action to demonstrate societal progress, an equal but opposite reaction demonstrates precisely the opposite. And when the experts disagree, what hope do the citizens have to engage in democratic debate about their future and make the right choices at the ballot box? Access to accurate information is vital when we come to judge our politicians and hold them accountable. But access to a comprehensive and intelligible portrait of that most important of questions - whether or not life has got, and is likely to get, better - is lacking in many societies.
Concerns about this have been growing. And over the past 10 years or so there has been an explosion of interest in producing measures of societal progress. Measures that go beyond GDP to represent a broader view of the ways in which societies are progressing and regressing. Measures which are based on the values of a society, not those of a single political party or an elite few. Such sets of progress measures can help governments focus in a more collobarative fashion regarding what really matters: they can foster a more informed debate on where a society actually is, where it wants to head, and – ultimately – the choices it needs to make if it is to get there. By measuring progress we can foster progress.
The Global Project on Measuring the Progress of Societies Goals
The Global Project Mission Statement said that "the project is open to all sectors of society" and the Istanbul Declaration urges "statistical offices, public and private organisations, and academic experts to work alongside representatives of their communities to produce high-quality, facts-based information that can be used by all of society to form a shared view of societal well-being and its evolution over time".
See more about "Who signed the Istanbul Declaration."
[edit] How to measure?
Working with experts from around the world the Project aims to develop a better understanding of how progress can be measured – especially in emerging and complex areas not yet covered by statistical standards. There is consensus that these areas (such as safety, human rights, different aspects of quality of life, etc.) are important but much less consensus about how progress in them should be understood and assessed.
[edit] Ensuring that the measures are used
When good statistics exist they too often go unnoticed or are misunderstood by a broad audience. New ICT tools have the potential to bring dramatic improvements: the Project aims to foster the development of new tools and approaches to help decision makers and citizens develop a better knowledge of their society using statistical information.
[edit] Why is this agenda important
Citizens are increasingly concerned with their quality of life. A consensus is growing around the need to develop a more comprehensive view of progress – one that takes into account social, environmental and economic concerns - rather than focussing mainly on economic indicators like Gross Domestic Product, which, while an important measure of economic activity, was not developed to be the sole measure of a nation's progress. There is also a broad recognition that the development of cross-cutting, high quality, shared, accessible information about how a society is doing is crucial to ensure that decision-making is simultaneously responsive and responsible at all levels (policy makers, businesses, citizens, etc.). This is a key issue for democracy. The better an electorate is able to hold its policy makers accountable through evidence of their performance, the greater the incentive for policy makers to make better policy. And smarter indicators of progress could help society to achieve more relevant goals with fewer resources.
Initiatives to measure progress are being created in many countries, developed and developing. A Global Movement of initiatives are happening in all areas of societies. Initiatives are being created by governments, by civil society, by academics and the private sector. Some of the most successful have been created in novel partnerships that span the different sectors. They are being created at the country and international levels. Some are being done for local communities. But for the most part, those working in this field are working in isolation. They have few opportunities to discuss with their peers their common experiences or develop best practice. When practitioners do meet their vocabularies and methodologies differ to such a great extent that discussions usually result in more heat than light.
Several international and supranational organisations have established collections of statistical indicators to measure economic, social and environmental phenomena. Some of these measures are used to design sectoral policies and/or to monitor their effects. Private and public research institutes and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have also developed indicators to measure particular phenomena and use these measures for analysis and advocacy.
The MDGs are perhaps the most famous set of global "progress" indicators. The Wikiprogress Community aims to make a key contribution to the international discussion in the run-up to 2015 when the set of existing MDGs and indicators (mainly designed for developing countries) could be enhanced. The Wikiprogress Community will foster the integration of the current top down approach to the development of international indicators with a bottom up effort, to take into account cultural, social and economic differences around the world. Therefore, the two processes are not in conflict: on the contrary, engaging societies in a bottom-up process and showing the similarities between the nationally selected themes and MDGs can improve the acceptance of the indicators selected by the UN General Assembly and foster the investments in statistical capacity building.
OECD World Forums and the Istanbul Declaration
In June 2007, three years after its 1st OECD World Forum on "Statistics, Knowledge and Policy" held in Italy, the OECD, in collaboration with other international organisations, ran the 2nd OECD World Forum in Istanbul on "Measuring and Fostering the Progress of Societies". Some 1200 people, from over 130 countries attended. Presidents and ministers rubbed shoulders with the leaders of civil society. Captains of industry met the heads of charitable foundations and leading academics. They shared a common interest in wanting to develop better measures of how the world is progressing.
The conference led to the Istanbul Declaration, (English version), signed by the European Commission, the Organisation of the Islamic Countries, the OECD, the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF, UNESCO, the United Nations Fund for Partnership, the World Bank, and several other organisations, which calls for action to identify what "progress" means in the 21st century and to stimulate international debate, based on solid statistical data and indicators, on both global issues of societal progress and how societies compare. In particular, the Declaration calls for actions to:
- encourage communities to consider for themselves what "progress" means in the 21st century;
- share best practices on the measurement of societal progress and increase the awareness of the need to do so using sound and reliable methodologies;
- stimulate international debate, based on solid statistical data and indicators, on both global issues of societal progress and comparisons of such progress;
- produce a broader, shared, public understanding of changing conditions, while highlighting areas of significant change or inadequate knowledge;
- advocate appropriate investment in building statistical capacity, especially in developing countries, to improve the availability of data and indicators needed to guide development programs and report on progress toward international goals, such as the Millennium Development Goals.
The Forum participants shared the view that the world needs leadership in this area and hence the Global Project on "Measuring the Progress of Societies" was established. See more about People and Organisations who signed the Istanbul Declaration.
The 3rd OECD World Forum on "Statistics, Knowledge and Policy" was held in Busan, Korea on 27-30 October 2009.
The 3rd OECD World Forum focused on Charting Progress, Building Visions, and Improving Life, and attracted high level participants with a mixture of politicians and policy makers, opinion leaders, Nobel laureates, statisticians, academics, journalists and representatives of civil society from many countries. The 3rd OECD World Forum, was organised by the OECD and the Government of Korea (Korean National Statistical Office).
The Forum focused on three major questions:
- What does progress mean for our societies?;
- What are the new paradigms to measure progress?;
- and How can there be better policies within these new paradigms to foster the progress of our societies?
The Forum gathered close to 2000 participants from more than 100 countries including; politicians and policy makers, opinion leaders, Nobel laureates, statisticians, academics, journalists and representatives of civil society.
It is during this Forum that the OECD RoadMap was presented. The RoadMap outlines the core of OECD's strategy and commitments to measure and foster well-being and progress, including: • setting priorities for the statistical agenda;
• developing measures, methods and tools;
• improving and enhancing policy making.
The Indian Statistics Office hosted the 4th OECD World Forum in New Delhi, India on 16-19 October 2012.
[edit] A Global Movement
A global movement is emerging and the linkage between statistical indicators, policy design and democratic assessment of the performance of a country (a region, a city, etc.) is at its core.
According to a survey carried out by UNDP, more than 150 composite indicators have been developed by public and private institutions to measure country performance in economic, social and environmental terms. Moreover, hundreds initiatives have been launched around the world to use indicators to make national and local politicians accountable, and this is happening in developed and in developing countries.
This global movement is characterised by a great many similarities. Globalisation and old and new media (especially the use of the internet) are allowing more cultural exchange than ever across different continents and communities. Some indicator-based initiatives have already created networks to share good practices, well beyond the national boundaries. International research societies have stimulated discussion among scholars and practitioners, resulting in growing similarities in the taxonomies of indicator-sets used around the world.
Organisations all over the globe are developing new indicators to measure the progress of societies, focusing on sustainability, well-being and quality of life, which are all terms closely related to progress.
Work is being done at the sub-national, national and international level, involving the public and private sectors, civil society, academia, and media, in both developed and developing countries. In this broad view, the Global Project on "Measuring the Progress of Societies" seeks to become the world wide reference point for those who wish to measure and assess the progress of their societies.
[edit] The links between information and democracy
Although political scientists disagree about much, there is a widespread agreement on three key constraints to the organisation of a democracy:
- The inclusive constraint: all those voting should have equal entitlement to vote.
- The judgemental constraint: those voting should deliberate on the basis of common concerns about the issue.
- The dialogical constraint: they should conduct this deliberation in open and unforced dialogue.
Of course evidence is a key part of the decision-making progress. And the parallels between the organisation of democracy and the need for a shared set of information about key issues of concern are clear. It is a natural corollary to argue that:
- The inclusive constraint: all those voting should have equal access to the key information.
- The judgemental constraint: that information should relate to the key issues of common concern.
- The dialogical constraint: the information should have been constructed objectively and transparently
Democracy and the information age: opportunities and risks
[edit] Who was involved?
[edit] Partners
The Global Project was hosted by the OECD and wasun in collaboration with other international and regional Partners. A representative from each Partner organisation sits on the Global Project Board. The Board had two Co-Chairs: the Chief Statistician of the OECD (ex-officio) and another member of the Global Project Board, elected every two years. The partners were major International/supranational Organisations that played a key role in the overall Global Project, investing substantial resources – financial or in-kind – over several years and assuming responsibility for the management of the Global Project and/or for specific tasks.
[edit] Technical Advisors
Technical advisors had an official seat on the Global Project Board. They are drawn to represent certain professional communities or sectors and have an advisory role to the Board.
[edit] Correspondents
The role of Correspondents was to act as the focal point of the Global Project's growing "network of networks" for their country and/or subject area.
This networks ensureed that the rest of the large and growing global movement can learn from common initiatives. Correspondents undertake to assist others in the same country, region or subject area to learn, share and achieve common goals.
Please click here to see a full list of Correspondents.
[edit] Sponsors
Sponsors were organisations which provide financial or in-kind resources for the overall Global Project, or who sponsored specific tasks or events.
[edit] Other Organisations
Below is a list of some of the other organisations that co-operated with the Global Project on common goals.
Korean National Statistical Office (KNSO), Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC), PARIS21, The Lisbon Council, Andean Democratic Audit, Province of Trento (ITA), Unicredit Bank (ITA), Institute for Tropical Scientific Research (POR), International Institute for Sustainable Development (CAN), STATEC (LUX) , Swivel.com (USA), Metaweb.com (USA), Michigan University (USA), Applied Survey Research (USA), Young Foundation (UK), RMIT University (AUS), Hewlett Foundation (USA), Ministry for Economic Development (ITA), Statistics Sweden (SWE), University of Siena (ITA), Hans Boeckler Foundation (GER), North-Eastern University (USA), Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (United Kingdom), University of East Piemonte (Italy), Institute of Pierre Werner (Luxembourg), University of Durham (United Kingdom), ROSSTAT (Russia), Boston Foundation (USA), Global Foundation (Australia), UN Economic Commission for Africa, Oxfam International.
[edit] FAQs
[edit] 1. Was the project about a common set of progress measures for the world?
No. The Global Project's main aim was to foster the development of different economic, social and environmental indicators to provide a comprehensive picture of how the well-being of different societies is evolving. It also seeks to encourage the use of indicator sets to inform and promote evidence-based decision making, within and across the public, private and citizen sectors.
[edit] 2. What is the Istanbul Declaration?
In June 2007, the OECD in collaboration with other international organisations, ran the 2nd OECD World Forum in Istanbul on "Measuring the Progress of Societies". The conference led to the Istanbul Declaration, signed by the European Commission, the Organisation of the Islamic Countries, the OECD, the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF, UNESCO, the United Nations Fund for Partnership, the World Bank, and several other organisations. The declaration, which calls for action to identify what "progress" means in the 21st century and to stimulate international debate, based on solid statistical data and indicators, on both global issues of societal progress and how societies compare.
[edit] 3. Was the project also about measuring happiness?
The Global Project seeks to foster and measure progress in different dimensions of progress. Some believe that objective indicators are key to this process. But some people believe that, just as important as knowing whether these objective aspects of society are improving, is knowing whether people actually feel their well-being has improved, that is whether people are happier or more content. Although measuring subjective well-being is recognised as challenging it is the subject of increasing attention by many experts.
The Global Project did not aim at providing a global single definition of progress, but hoped to measure and foster progress as defined by each individual society. Thus, if a society includes happiness as a dimension in their framework of progress, our goal is to provide that society with knowledge about the strengths and weaknesses of different ways to measure it.
[edit] 4. What was the Global Project about?
The Global Project on "Measuring the Progress of Societies" existed to foster the development of economic, social and environmental indicators to provide a comprehensive picture of how the well-being of a society was evolving. It also sought to encourage the use of indicator sets to inform and promote evidence-based decision-making, within and across the public, private and citizen sectors. The project is open to all sectors of society, building both on good practice and innovative research work. Initiatives to measure progress are happening all over the world. The Global Project, was hosted by the OECD, and was a "network of networks", that sought to better co-ordinate work in this area, provide a forum for discussion and develop best practice around understanding what progress looks like in different countries, how to develop the statistical indicators to measure it and how to ensure those measures are used and understood by a broad audience.
[edit] 5. What is the aim of the OECD World Forum Conferences?
In 2004, the OECD recognised that initiatives to measure progress (quality of life, well-being, sustainable development, all terms related to progress, etc.) at the international, national and local levels were proliferating all over the world. To focus discussion the Organisation held the 1st World Forum on "Statistics, Knowledge and Policy", in Palermo (Italy). The second OECD World Forum on "Measuring and Fostering the Progress of Societies" took place in June 2007 in Istanbul, and attracted more than 1200 people from 130 countries. The 3rd OECD World Forum was held in Korea from October 27-30, 2009. The aim of the World Forums is to create a global community who come together both at events and virtually to share best practices and build capacity to answer key questions on how to measure the progress of societies. The World Forums offer an opportunity for in-depth discussions among a broad group of interested actors – statisticians, policy makers, NGOs, academics and so on – who do not often get the chance to discuss issues of common concern.
The Indian Statistics Office will host the 4th OECD World Forum in New Delhi, India on 16-19 October 2012.
[edit] 6. Why do we need to measure progress?
What we measure affects what we do, and if our measurements are flawed, then the decisions we make may be distorted. For many years 'Gross Domestic Product' has been the dominant way in which a nation's progress has been measured and understood, and yet this approach has failed to explain many of the factors that most impact people's lives. GDP only measures what the world 'produces' – taking a narrow view of economic activity and failing to account for the well-being of individuals, of our societies and of our environment. Other measures have received much less attention by media and politicians, leading people to underestimate their value. It is only through understanding what is happening in our society – all parts of the society – that policy makers will be able to better understand how to improve life. This understanding will be even more important as politicians go about rethinking policies in the wake of the global financial crisis. It will help ensure that societies protect what is precious to them, taking account of a simple truth: if you can't measure it, you can't manage it.
[edit] 7. Is it possible to measure progress?
Measuring Progress is possible, and it is already happening. Of course, to measure progress one needs to know what progress looks like. And there is no single answer: progress means different things to different societies and spans different aspects of life – social, environmental and economic. But many societies are now designing sets of progress measures that are objective and/or subjective to help citizens assess whether or not life is getting better. The Measures of Australia's Progress is a good example among many existing initiatives on measuring progress.
[edit] 8. Where can I get more information?
Measuring progress activities are happening all over the world. The Global Project was run as a "network of networks" to share information and develop best practice. Wikiprogress contains hundreds of documents describing initiatives around the world. The wiki depends on your contributions, we encourage you to submit material.
[edit] 9. Why is it important for developing countries to Measure Progress?
African societies, like any other societies indeed, have to measure progress. But more importantly they have to define what is meant by progress. They have to hold a dialogue in a way that has not been done before. -Pali Lehohla (Director General of Statistics South Africa).
Although the OECD is an organisation whose members are developed countries, the Global Project is working with countries at every level on the development spectrum. Discussions about progress are not just a luxury for the rich. They are equally important – perhaps more so – in poorer countries which are looking to "develop". Because "development" is not well defined and is sometimes seen as synonymous with simply growing GDP or becoming "more like the West". As countries develop it is important that they develop a solid understanding of what development means – or ought to mean – for that society. Then and only then can they decide which aspects of life should be improved and which aspects should be protected, and appropriate measures set up to track this progress.
[edit] Videos
This short movie (in two six-minute segments) describes the OECD-hosted Global Project on "Measuring the Progress of Societies". It was made during the second OECD World Forum on "Statistics, Knowledge and Policy" held on 27-30 June 2007 in Istanbul, Turkey.
[edit] Other videos
- Jon Hall Community Indicators Summit on "Measuring the Progress of Australian Communities", 22-23 July 2009, Brisbane. Please see video and presentation.
- The importance of Measuring the Progress of Societies was discussed at the NatStat Conference 2008. E. G., former Chief Statistician to the OECD, examined key issues for policy making and democratic governance. Please see video and powerpoint presentation.
[edit] Papers and Presentations
- "We have known for years that human economic activity exhausts our natural resources and damages our fragile environment, yet economists and governments have been slow to incorporate them into their measurements." written by Nobel Prize laureate Joseph Stiglitz.
Read his inspiring paper on "Progress what Progress?"
- The importance of going beyond GDP is underlined in the snapshot OECD and Progress - Beyond GDP
- Developing Societal Progress Indicators: A Practical Guide, 2010, Jon Hall and Denis Trewin, OECD
- A Framework to Measure the Progress of Societies, 2010, Jon Hall, Enrico Giovannini, Adolfo Morrone and Giulia Ranuzzi, OECD
- Indicators of "Societal Progress" Lessons from International Experiences, 2010, Katherine Scrivens and Barbara Iasiello, OECD
- Global Project of Measuring the Progress of Societies, Keynote Presentation
See more from the Global Progress Research Network.
[edit] Blogging
Visit the Wikiprogress ProgBlog for the latest in research, data, initiatives and developments on the wiki. As well, for a list of Blogs and Bloggers who are working on issues related to measuring the progress of societies, please go to Progress Blogs.
See also/ Further reading
Newsletter on Measuring the Progress of Societies
People and Organisations who signed the Istanbul Declaration
Democracy and the information age: opportunities and risks
- The Global Project Past Events
- The Beyond GDP Conference is one of the main events which looks for complementary indicators, clear and appealing as GDP but more inclusive of other dimensions of progress – in particular environmental and social aspects.
- 1st OECD World Forum, Palermo, 2004
- 2nd OECD World Forum, Istanbul, 2007
- 3rd OECD World Forum, Busan, 2009
- 4th OECD World Forum, New Delhi, 2012

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Last weekend I listened to all of the Weezer albums as I was raking the leaves. Maladroit really stood out from all of the post-pinkerton albums. Instrumentally, it's Weezer at their finest and I…Continue
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Posted by Bgal24 on 03/08/2005
NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- Undoubtedbly, it was my fault for actually signing up to join Bally's. They had the most reasonable prices--but be warned: you get what you pay for. After less than a month of going to their gym, I became more aware and more grossed out. Their gyms are unclean in general (esp. the locker rooms: mold here, watermarks there) and they have poor machine upkeep. I can not count the number of times I've had to sit on a stationary bike and listen to a cacophony of sounds coming from other machines that needed oil or needed to be fixed, period!
I still go to the gym though because I am officially locked into a contract that is impossible to get out of. (I already tried - I even went to the Better Business Bureau). In my opinion, Bally's has not held up their end of the contract. I should have known better. Do not make the same mistake as I did. Once my contract is up, I am running to another cleaner, more well-kept fitness club!
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Posted by tringy on 2005-04-20:
Why would you keep going to a gym that is dirty and gross? It's not like they give you one month to decide if you want to join!! Or here's an idea, never join it, don't get fat and out of shape. And if you do run up some stairs or go for a walk with friends.
Posted by bgal24 on 2005-04-22:
Thanks for your comments. I believe I said in my complaint that I made a mistake joining. I still go though, simply because I don't want to become overweight, but I simply refuse to use their bathrooms and showers. I now go home to shower. To clarify once again, I still go to their disgusting gym anyway, because I'm locked into a contract that I ALREADY PAID FOR, and I refuse to throw my money away. Additionally, I would never allow myself to become overweight or even "fat". AND I live in New York City...I walk to and from work everyday (1 mile each way), and up and down 4 flights of stairs everyday to my walk-up apartment. So if you're insinuating that I am letting myself go or am lazy, you are sadly mistaken. Were you able to understand all of what I just said? Or should I use words that are slightly smaller?
Posted by Anonymous on 2006-09-12:
Bally's has AWFUL customer service. Every time you call the customer service number, your "estimated wait time" exceeds 25 minutes. There are few ways to work around this - even if you're trying to open a new account! No wonder their stock price is below $3.
When you do get a CSR on the phone, they're rude and imperious. When I told one rep I needed to cancel my account, she said she needed to know why. Then she demanded proof of my relocation out of the country so they could review my request to cancel. She said it would take 2-3 weeks to determine whether my request was valid. The Arrogance! I notified my bank not to honor any more direct payments to Bally's. I don't care if they ding my credit report - an awful company to deal with. They're not getting another penny out of me.
Posted by Markm8128 on 2008-02-19:
Worst customer service I have ever received!!!
I signed a contract with one of their subsidiary clubs, which stated that in the event that I got laid-off from my job, my membership would be put on hold, for a minimal fee.
However, when the subsidiary went out of business, and Bally took over the contract...when I got laid off, after 2 1/2 years with my company...Bally refused to honor the contract, and kept on billing my bank account, at a time when I had no money for groceries.
No matter how many customer service "managers" I talked to, they all said there was nothing they could do.
I will never join Bally again, and would never recommend anyone join their health clubs!
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Bally total fitness is a rip off. Do not join them!
Posted by on 11/14/2002
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA -- Bally Total Fitness is a rip off.
If you visit one of its club, don't give out credit card or phone number. You will regret if you do.
If you decide to join their club, read the contract's fine print carefully. Once you sign the contract, you make a "life time" commitment. You can not cancel your membership unless you move away or you suffer serious injure. Even more, you have to pay a $50 cancelation fee + have to submit quite a lot of proof.
Also, they don't give you credit or anything if you go on vacation and don't use their service in a period of time.
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Posted by Anonymous on 2002-11-14:
I would concentrate less on excerising your body and more on excersising your English skills...
Posted by Anonymous on 2003-10-01:
I, also joined Bally's and was stuck in a contract for 3 years. I was promised a free year membership and other incentives after my 3 years were completed. However, I did not get this in writing and was denied the promises made by their employee. My advice to anyone joining a club is to read the fine print and do not just go on someones word. Even though I lived 40 minutes away they did not care because they said this is where I resided when I signed my membership.
Posted by oneconsumer on 2004-08-02:
I agree.
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The worst Customer Service Possible
Posted by JohnLa on 01/20/2006
CALIFORNIA -- I joined Bally back in 2003, and I have been constantly disappointed since. Being a college student at the time, I hardly lived in the same location for more than a year, so I got the premium membership that allowed me to use other clubs. My initial club was of decent quality, but the other ones had ceilings that dripped when raining, poorly maintained equipment, and a host of other problems. Most of it did not bother me too much, but when I forced to cancel my contract since I had to move to China for work, that is when the real frustration came about. Their rules state that as long as there are no Ballys within 25 miles of your residence, you are allowed to cancelled given that you send in the documentation and a $50 check. I did just that, with the check, I sent my employment contract, a copy of my residence permit for China and a copy of my one-way e-ticket to China.
I ignorantly thought that everything was taken care of, but I was wrong. 1 month after I have been in China, Bally charged my account for the usual monthly payment. After waiting on the phone for at least 15 mins (nobody can get a hold of a representative by phone for anything less than 10 minutes with Bally), I was told that my documentation was insufficient. Apparently, a residence permit that is recognized by both the Chinese and American government (or any other government for that matter), is not enough for Bally Total Fitness. I had no idea that they were above international government institutions. So I grudgingly sent even more documentation.
Four months later, my parents tell me that they received a notification from Bally's that I need to pay $77 for the pro-rated fees to completely cancel my membership. When I called them to ask what is the meaning of this, I once again had to wait on hold, this time over 20 minutes. During the course of the conversation, the representative asked me whether I had my membership card and than asked if I had my contract. Apparently he is not aware that Bally Total Fitness requires members to send in both their contract and membership card along with the notice of cancellation.
I have been a member of other gyms before, and with each one, all I had to do was go to the counter and tell them I want to cancel, and that's it. But with Bally, I have never had so much frustration in my life. There are so many other choices for fitness, I strongly suggest not signing up with Bally.
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Posted by RW Knut on 2006-02-05:
I can sympathize with your Bally experience. I joined Bally's in February, 1993 in Clearwater, Florida. Shortly after joining (about 3 months), I moved to rural Pennsylvania. Understanding their "credit contract", I followed all of their rediculous requirements to cancel my membership (returned my contract, membership card, change of address notice, utility hookup notice for my new address, etc.) and like you, foolishly assumed that everything would be taken care of. That's when the fun started. To make a very long story short, 2 months after I sent in all the required documents and proof that I had moved and that the closest Bally's was 40 miles away, I began to receive statements, followed by legal threats, demanding that I pay them over $900.00 to close my contract. For the next 4 years I succumbed to their threats and harrassment and spent endless hours on the phone and writing letters to defend myself. They wrecked my credit along the way. Finally it ended and over time I assumed it was over, except for erasing their history from my credit report.
I got home this morning from running some errands and in my mailbox is a letter from a collection service in Michigan demanding that I pay $2,478.27 as that is the current unsettled balance I owe to Bally's. I flipped out. This time I'm getting a lawyer to address the situation. I'm sure that this has happened to enough people to initiate a class action suit against them, which I intend to investigate.
If anyone is considering joining Bally's, don't do it unless you enjoy harrassment, deceptive credit contracts (you will not pay a membership fee, you will be committing yourself to a credit contract), beat up equipment that is not maintained and a product and service worthy of a third world country.
After 8 years (almost 12 years since I canceled my "membership") they decided to come after me again. I intend on making Bally's pay me this time.
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Morning Receptionist
Posted by on 09/05/2001
I am very upset at the Bally Total Fitness located in Houston, Texas (Greenspoint) location. The gym claims to be open at 5:00 am but recently that has not happened. At least two dozen of people are disappointed at this action. Just last week the receptionist decided to waltz in at 7:00 a.m. and that is not acceptable.
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Bally's Health Club Sex In the Steamrooms
Posted by Cloud9 on 01/11/2007
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -- I have been a member of Bally's Health & Sport Clubs since 1990 and recently for the past 3 years, I have seen some of the most gross content happening in the Chicago Bally's (Rivercity) and Bally's (Hyde Park Sport Club) along with the Bally's (Riveroaks Club) ever witnessed. Within these clubs at any time of the day and night one will find men's having sex with men within the steamrooms, condoms on the floors of the steamroom and saunas. There are sperm and feces on the steamroom seats and feces on the towel left in the steamrooms. At the Bally's Rivercity club it has become as a known place to go and have sex, married husbands, bi-males, straight mens, gay men etc. Other members along with myself have reported over and over again these complaints to the different mangers that they seem to keep changing and nothing has stop the sex activities within these clubs. The same groups that came from the Bally's Health Club(Washington location) since they had to close the men steamroom because of such activity, has now flock to these other location performing the same conduct at these locations now. There are children from the after school program now seeing and witnessing these activities along with my son witnessing this in the mens shower room.
This conduct has got to stop, I've reported this to the corporate offices, the FBI, the health department, and even the TV station about these location and these acts of conduct. I have filed a lawsuit against these location with the photos of some of the scenes being conducted.
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Posted by Dr. Jeecheroo on 2007-01-12:
That is gross. I recall seeing ads for Bally Total Fitness having hot women on it. Guess what you see isn't what you get, huh?
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-01-12:
Time to say Bi Bi to Bally's.
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-01-12:
This is very similar to a complaint posted Jan 3.
Posted by Sparticus on 2007-01-12:
I was thinking the same thing PassingBy. Makes you wonder about these steamrooms. I've always steered clear of them... seem creepy to me. Now I know to trust my insticts more... =)
Posted by Noneill on 2007-01-12:
I don't know how you can keep going there, much less take pictures for your lawsuit. Whoever is bringing the kids there needs to be informed. That has to stop.
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-01-12:
PB, Spart, it is the same maybe with a follow up? I could not go back and take pictures that is just too much! Good luck on your lawsuit!
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-01-12:
Brings new meaning to the "Nauti-lus" machines.
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-01-12:
Lidman, Not a follow up because the other complaint was for NY.
Posted by cloud9 on 2007-01-12:
cobrathundestorm, I don't need to have sex with men when I'm happily married, but you just told on yourself and its the sleeze like you that is there doing such acts. If I were of that lifestyle, I would have more respect for myself to go to a place of privacy in handling business. We wonder why AIDs is so on the rise with the bros and sisters, so maybe the question is how many bro are you still kicking with in there, better yet, who gives a dam, get a room.
Posted by cloud9 on 2007-01-14:
Noneill; the reason I had to do this because no one else has taken the initiative to and it they have gotten way out of hand. They don't try to hide it there, its as though they don't care who walks in now, they just keep doing their thing, not just in the steamroom, in the bathroom stalls, the sauna, the showers they don't hide it. As gross as it is, I had to take the pictures for management and the lawyers because no one would believe me at first until the pics. Now undercover agent are all over the place now. Whereas I don't have take pics now they are collecting their own evidence for court now.
Posted by B07 on 2007-09-07:
grammar and spelling always help support a case...
Posted by BallyMember on 2009-10-20:
with all due respect-I simply do not believe this. I have never seen used condoms on the floor or children witnessing gay sex acts at this club. And you claim to have photos of this activity? You have a camera in a gym shower? Nope sorry don't believe. This sounds like classic 24 Hour club wars.
Posted by BallyMember on 2009-10-20:
Now I will say that I observed a young man stroking himself in a gym sauna some time back. The way I handled it was to simply say,"I don't think that's appropriate behavior in a public sauna." I didn't raise my voice or really make eye contact. He stopped and left.
Posted by Anonymous on 2009-10-20:
You are talking to yourself! Notice the date, Sherlock!
Posted by DebtorBasher on 2009-10-20:
"Didn't make eye contact" *biting my tongue*
Posted by old fart on 2009-10-20:
I wonder if "cloud nine's" pictures ended up on some internet porn site...
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Bally Total Fitness all about the dollar
Posted by Fitgirl on 05/28/2006
ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS -- I had an extremely positive experience joining a gym in the UK so when looking around in America near to my home Bally were doing a $5 join, very attractive. I had no clue that I was actually taking out a loan and that it would be next to impossible to cancel. I have ended up paying for nothing! Which I think is darned right unscrupulous.
To compare the two. At my gym in the UK they had much better facilities. No pool but there was a free video library and a nice cafe, but more than that the gym was FRIENDLY and caring. It was obvious when I was with the Bally Manager that I would not be able to pay huge amounts for personal training, but I was assured that the staff would be helpful and definitely help me out. I got one session as part of my sign up and it was no where near as good as my previous experience.
I have spine problems. In the UK the trainer consulted a physiotherapist and then set me a training schedule, even had me in her class and throughout it she would guide me on what I could and could not do and use. Not so with Bally. I was left alone, no one spoke to me at all. The trainer I had worked with when I gave a brief progress report was very off hand as though he really could not care less. The other gym gave free weight loss classes and would go so far as to measure at regular intervals, also everyone had a work-out card they filled in on every visit and the trainers would look at them every time to assess how you were doing.. I had TONS of encouragement. Not so with Bally. They don't give a damn unless you are paying and paying and paying.
Unfortunately I did not cancel within the specified period, being determined to work out then personal problems hit not foreseen at the beginning, suddenly I had no car to get to the gym, then I developed a back injury, more transportation problems, more illness. But Bally don't care. They will continue to take your money whether you actually get any use out of the gym or not. In the UK they would call you if you didn't turn up for a while to enquire how you were doing.. as far as Bally is concerned I could have dropped off the face of the planet. They don't care!!
And that folks is the upshot. Cold and uncaring gym, not to mention having far too long to wait for access to exercise machines and often the monitoring equipment on the machines not working properly, lack of supervision, but still they will take and take your money.
I hate Bally Fitness and just hope that I can get out of their clutches. I am busy building a little home gym and will never, ever join another gym in America.
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Posted by Doc J on 2006-05-28:
That you state, "I had no clue that I was actually taking out a loan..." is telling. My mates back in the UK all know how to read. I suggest you hone the skill with regard to contracts. Sorry 'bout your back problems. But, I do hope your eyes work well. Did you take a tour of the facilities before you signed up? Your transportation and "other" problems are not the gym's problem.
Posted by Anonymous on 2006-05-29:
There are numerous complaints on this site concerning the rigid fitness center / health club contracts. Complaints like yours are very helpful as others who read this may think twice before entering into a long term agreement. Unfortunately it does little to help you but possible you saved somebody else from making the same mistake. Good post!
Posted by Doc J on 2006-05-29:
Well put, Stew. Never had a fitness contract (I work out on my own with friends). I understand they are as hard to get out of as a "record or book club" or a student loan.
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Still scarred from what happened in 1998!
Posted by Swethagupta2004 on 10/22/2012
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK -- This is how bad Bally's is. This incident happened almost 15 yrs ago and I sill remember the misery it has caused me and CANNOT believe they still operate like a-holes in 2012! When I was a freshman in college at Oswego State University my friends and I would use the campus gym to exercise. In Mid-December of 1997, we got a full month off for winter break so I went home to Rochester for the holidays. I didn't want to miss a work out so I went to my local Bally Total Fitness and asked the Membership Rep if it was possible to just use the gym for a month as I only would be in town for my winter break. She told me that I'd have to sign a contract since they didn't have monthly memberships but that canceling would be easy as I just had to show I lived X number of miles from their fitness center and I would be released from my contractual obligations. I paid the monthly rate, signed the contract and then in January of 1998 when I was back at college, proceeded to cancel my membership with Bally's. They cooperated with the cancellation but charged me $50 to cancel. This is a fee I was never told about when I signed the contract. Mind you $50 is not that much money but for a broke first year college student, it kind of is. To break it down - $50 plus the amount I paid for the month I used the gym, turned out to be quite expensive, and had I been properly informed of the $50 fee, I would have never agreed to sign the contract and would've gone elsewhere. Aside from the financial strain, I refused to pay it for the principal of it - I was never explained that I would have to pay the fee. In the end, I disputed the $50 fee with Bally's and they turned over my account to a collection agency. What did that lead to? Countless calls from collectors, letters, and stressful nights, not to mention outrageous interest rates that took $50 and somehow skyrocketed it to over $3,000! Despite having an impeccable payment history with my credit card company, utility bills, and with rental landlords, I suffered horrible credit b/c of Bally's and had to wait until my late twenties before my credit improved. I am sad to read that after all of these years Bally's has not changed and they are continuing to hurt people and negatively impact so many lives. The worst part of all of this is that the gym was a fantastic gym but the positive experience I had there is completely tarnished by their contractual and billing practices. Bally's WILL SCREW YOU OVER so before you give them blood make sure you grill the membership reps with any and all relevant questions and get EVERYTHING told to you, PRE-contract signing, IN WRITING!
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Posted by trmn8r on 2012-10-22:
I missed something very important the first time I read your complaint, and that is that you signed a contract as a member because that was the only way to get the use for only a month.
If you "dispute" something directly with a company, without the benefit of a third party (eg regulatory or court system), and lose, you can't assume that it will go away.
Posted by melissa253 on 2012-10-22:
That was 1998. What's the issue that you have with then now in 2012 ?
Posted by CowboyFan on 2012-10-23:
Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy? In 1998, the OP refused to pay for the "principle" of the matter. That is fine, but there are consequences. One should then not complain about them, but accept them as the cost of standing up for principles.
The question I had is: did the contract say there was a cancellation free? If so, then the OP should have paid it regardless of what he was told, because he signed the contract.
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Terribly Dissatisfied With Fitness Center And Cancellation Policy
Posted by Dissatisfied costumer on 04/15/2010
Bally Total Fitness makes the process of joining one of their fitness facilities super easy. You can join online, over the phone, in person at the store...just say the word, and you are a member. This sappy story quickly comes to a screeching halt once you become a member. Once the sugary sweet employee hands you your membership card with your grainy picture on it, the customer service portion is done and over. Other than the occasional nice guy that says hello to you at the front desk, you realize most of the employees that are hired do not care about the facility, the customers, or the equipment. The gym is often in poor condition. The cleanliness of the facility appears to be a low priority for management. The weights and equipment used by customers and trainers are dispersed throughout the workout area floors, hardly ever put up, and are accidents waiting to happen.
The gym is closed even on minor holidays and the hours of operation on the weekends are limited. Often times when a piece of equipment is out of order, it is chained up with a sign that indicates that it's malfunctioning. I'm often surprised that someone actually took the time to put up a lovely sign. However the chain & sign will remain on said equipment for days on end, like an accessory necklace or adorning belt, and the equipment remains unfixed and unavailable to customers for weeks to months at a time!!! Worst of all, when you try to cancel your month-to-month membership (not a long term contract), there is no sugary sweet customer service representative who was so eager to help you as he did when you were inquiring about joining...rather the entire team gives you the run around telling you that you have to ask the guy on the next shift, or call the corporate office. The corporate office staff member will tell you he has nothing to do with cancellation, instead to send a snail mail for the cancellation to become official and sit and wait to find out the outcome of your request as "nothing can be done over the phone regarding cancellation".
How is it that I can join online, via telephone, in person, over the rainbow... but no one is able to help me cancel my account? I believe in never saying never, and that being said, I will NEVER join and will NEVER recommend any Bally Fitness facility EVER again.
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Posted by Beth W. on 2010-04-21:
I'm sorry to hear you want to leave Bally and about your experience. Since our cancellation policy varies based on the type of membership you have - I've sent you a direct message in hopes of gathering further details about your membership/account.
At your earliest convenience, please send me a message back so I can see how we can help you.
Thank you,
Customer Relations
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7 day Guest pass scam
Posted by Scamstop on 01/30/2011
LYNWOOD, WASHINGTON -- On Saturday January 29, 2011 about 6 pm in the evening - - I took my brother with me to show him equipments in the fitness center. I am a member, and he isn't so I asked for a guest pass, and one of the front desk employee gave me guest pass. However, the other employee started to make it as if he is doing a favor for us. Business is business and favor is a different thing. His comments were very judgmental and unprofessional and he refused to let my guest in. His reason was the guest pass can be used after a 1 day wait time. Which is totally new "rule" which is applicable only if they like you. YOU CAN'T COUNT ON WHAT THEY ADVERTISE. UNPROFESSIONAL!, UNWELCOMING ! place. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND TO ANYONE AND I AM PLANNING TO USE A DIFFERENT FITNESS CENTER.
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Posted by Alain on 2011-01-30:
If they don't want your business you may as well go elsewhere.
Posted by dan gordon on 2011-01-30:
most members want the 'guest' pass to work out with friends, and the club wants the 'guest' pass to sell new memberships. Two different goals for the same 'pass'.
Posted by Ytropious on 2011-01-30:
Maybe the rules have changed?
Posted by bhskittykatt on 2011-01-30:
You'd think they'd make the guest pass process easy so they could show off their facilities and perhaps convince your brother to join. My gym always made it easy for me to bring a guest. I think Bally should consider revising their policy.
Posted by PepperElf on 2011-01-30:
Though ... i'm wondering if the brother was planning on becoming a member or not...
Posted by Ytropious on 2011-01-30:
Probably not. They probably correctly assumed the OPs brother just wanted to come hang out for free.
Posted by Beth W. on 2011-01-31:
Thank you for sharing your comments. We work hard to make sure our staff are knowledgeable and professional. We're sorry to hear about your experience.
We will forward your comments to the area District Manager for review and follow-up with the club directly.
We also wanted to clarify there is not a 1-day waiting period for the usage of our 7-day guest pass. We hope your brother will give us another chance. He can download a free 7-day pass directly from our website: http://www.ballyfitness.com/get-started/guest-pass/free-guest-pass.aspx
Thanks again for your valuable feedback,
Customer Relations
Posted by jktshff1 on 2011-01-31:
To Beth and the OP: Keep us posted how this works out. Could be interesting if Bally's is genuinely interested in solving this complaint.
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What a mess, this company has turn out to be
Posted by Moondragon on 02/14/2007
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA -- I have been a member of Bally's Total Fitness, for many years now. It seems that with every year it passes, the gyms get worse. Many of the machines are out-dated or not working at all. The lockerroom area is dirty used paper towels all over the place, the bathrooms are dirty and you can just imagine the smell of rancid urine. Only God knows what goes on in the showers and the steam rooms. I recently visited the North Hollywood gym and it had all of the expectations that I have mention obove. I addition the workout area was out of control the equipment and free weights where not in their respectfull place, it was just a big mess
and none of the employees seem to care, most where on their phone. Nobody in the gym seem to follow the rules in the running track, all of the members where just walking around in all different directions and again the employees did nothing to enforce the rules of the gym. It seems that Ballys is just concern on signing up new members and do not really care about keeping their new and specially their old members confortable and happy. I have written to their Human resouce but have not recieve an answer. I am posting this review to warn new members, to be very careful before signing a mew membership with Bally's Toatal Fitness. Their Financial Department, well?, that is another review. God Bless
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Posted by Fartman on 2007-02-15:
If the showers and steam rooms at the Bally's Total Fitness location in North Hollywood are that bad, I can imagine what they are like at the West Hollywood location!!!
Posted by Moondragon on 2007-06-17:
That is pretty much anywhere you go now days. Even 24 hour fitness is getting bad, I know for sure their Fitness trainers are not very good.
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3 people found this helpful
I have been working at IBM
Pros – There are good discounts with business partners. It looks good on a resume when you look for a new job (and most of us inevitably will).
Cons – Layoffs even when the company's profits are in the billions. The CEO describes layoffs as 'business as usual'. We're expected to create world-class products using worthless, freebie tools that don't work properly. Managers change jobs regularly every two years, leading to instability in every group. Quotas in performance reviews stop careers from progressing. The internal financial results our bonuses are based on are always somehow lower than the public results, so our bonuses are always lower than projected.
Advice to Senior Management – Treat employees like an asset, not disposable parts.
No, I would not recommend this company to a friend
4 people found this helpful
I worked at IBM
I have been working at IBM
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Post-game interviews
John Tortorella: Ryan Callahan: Martin Biron:
John Tortorella: Ryan Callahan: Martin Biron:
Same lineup tonight vs. Chicago. Martin Biron in goal. Here's the pre-game press conference, in which the coach even talked about Linsanity. John Tortorella:
The contest is still open until "It's Go Time!" is posted around 6:30. But all contest entries must be posted in the previous thread. DO NOT POST PREDICTIONS IN THIS THREAD. Steve Eminger returns tonight. Stu Bickel is scratched. Martin Biron in goal. Artem Anisimov is not bringing his gun…. Read More →
What can you do? The Rangers sure have gotten their share of last-minute wins this year, and a few bounces along the way. This one was one horrible bounce, then a puck sliding across the goal line, then one of those unfortunate breakaway contests they sometimes hold after the hockey… Read More →
Here's some post-game audio following the bad-bounce loss: John Tortorella: Martin Biron: **************************
Game 48. The ticket contest is now closed. Thank you for playing. And a special thank you to the guys who did it wrong (deep exhale of exasperation). And may I just say that it's going to be really easy to judge the contest if the Devils win the game,... Read More →
Shut the front door. That's how you smother a good team, how you make their night miserable, how you bounce back from a loss. Fact: The Rangers are quickly becoming the team you don't want to play, because they will make you absorb a beating, fight for every inch and… Read More →
Game 42. Start of the second half of the season … like the first half, it starts outside of the U.S.A. The Rangers have suffered half of their regulation losses to Canadian clubs (6-5-1) including a pair of home losses to the Maple Leaves. They Rangers have lost one in… Read More →
For all the complaining we (I) did about the outdoor game, it was a downer going back indoors, especially at the World's Quietest Arena. What a shame. Could you imagine a first-place team in the middle of a season in the 1970s or '80s and the kind of intimidation MSG… Read More →
John Tortorella (I believe the first question is about Gaborik's line; he had some interesting things to say about the rest of this season; and also late in the interview, about Ruslan Fedotenko having Wojtek Wolski looking over his shoulder): Brad Richards: Marian Gaborik: Martin Biron: Marc Staal:
Game 38. HBO's finale of "24/7" debuts tonight at 10, replayed again at 11. The Winter Classic and all the other distractions are now in the rear-view mirror as ya boys approach the mid-way point of the season and the all-star break having won two in a row and seven… Read More →
This is what happens when you play well for an extended period of a season and people take notice … teams that might not be so good, or not playing so great, find another gear when they play you. It becomes a big game for them. And that really hasn't… Read More →
Game 35. First of three in a row on the road for your first-place boys, on a five-game winning streak. A 7:30 start for Versus (exclusive telecast). Followed by episode 3 of "24/7" at 10, and replayed at 11, on HBO. (Nine more days before I can cancel my HBO!).... Read More →
Game 34. Rematch of Thursday's 4-2 Rangers win. Ya boys on a four-game winning streak. With Boston idle tonight, the Rangers could move into first place in the East with a victory. Same lineup, other than Henrik Lundqvist in goal (Martin Biron beat the Islanders Thursday) and probably Jeff Woywitka… Read More →
Happy Festivus, everyone! Tonight, with the Flyers in town, we will air grievances and have feats of strength. Get the pole. Kruger, you couldn't smooth a silk sheet if you had a date with a hot babe … "I lost my train of thought." —Frank Costanza —————————— Thoughts: 1) I… Read More →
Here's the post-game audio. The Dubinsky file begins with a question you won't hear, about tomorrow's Winter Classic preview. John Tortorella: Brandon Dubinsky: Michael Del Zotto: Martin Biron: Marian Gaborik: (this one might be a little quiet; he speaks softly and I couldn't get close)
Short and sweet. Same lineup tonight. Jeff Woywitka re-injured his foot this morning and won't play. Not sure if it's now worse or if he'll be out longer. He talked about Martin Biron very briefly, and about Mike Rupp. Wouldn't answer questions on "24/7" John Tortorella:
Well, that was about as wild as it gets. Not one for the archives in terms of how to play, or how to win. But, wow, was that a finish. I am racking the rusty rolodex between my ears trying to remember a similar game, and I'm sure there was… Read More →
Very nice way to end a two-game losing streak and a very complete win over the Baby Buffaloes for No. 2,500 in franchise history, for No. 4 in a row on the road, No. 13 in the last 17 games overall. Right back at it tonight against the Cats (7:30… Read More →
The Rangers didn't lose because they've had all this time off. They didn't lose because it's Hockey Night in Canada in Montreal. They didn't lose because of the ridiculous pansification rules and penalty calls. They didn't lose because of a bad goal given up by Martin Biron. They didn't lose… Read More →


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Wow, for free?! That's awesome! 90% of the people here are on shoe-string budgets and would appreciate the hand.
First of all let me tell you a bit about myself. I work for a small architecture firm doing design work and creating realistic renderings using AutoCad (2d) & Revit (3d BIM) and absolutely love haunted houses and everything about them and what do you know my favorite part is the design portion. Now I know most people do not know how to use AutoCad and could use some help in the design process so I am extending my arm to help anyone looking for drawings to help with the design or just get there paper sketch into a profession looking format. Ultimately I am not sure if anyone is even in need of this service but I thought I would throw it out there and see if anyone needs help. Hit me up on my personal email (email@example.com) as I do not check my messages here everyday.
Wow, for free?! That's awesome! 90% of the people here are on shoe-string budgets and would appreciate the hand.
Yep, free.....Maybe someday this will become a business for me but for now I offer my services for free..
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>By JIM KUHNHENN | 04/17/12 08:49 PM ET | Huff Post Politics | [Watch the video below from The Ed Show on : President Obama hits back on high gas prices ! Gbismarc!] WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama pushed Congress Tuesday to give oil market regulators more muscle to deter price manipulation by speculators, the […]
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RoboCall Week – Ending!
Week of Feb 8, 2014:
Bridge scandal: Christie administration attacks Wildstein, media coverage
>by: David Giambusso/The Star-Ledger |
on February 01, 2014 at 6:49 PM, updated February 01, 2014 at 7:13 PM |
NEWARK — Gov. Chris Christie's administration today attacked David Wildstein as well as media coverage of Wildstein's allegations that the governor knew more about the George Washington Bridge lane closures than he originally let on, according to a report in Politico.
Wildstein's lawyer, Alan Zegas, said Friday that Christie knew of the lane closures when they occurred in September.
"Bottom line — David Wildstein will do and say anything to save David Wildstein," read today's email from Christie's office, titled, "5 Things You Should Know About The Bombshell That's Not A Bombshell."
Christie's office also attacked the New York Times for its initial characterization of the Zegas letter.
"A media firestorm was set off by sloppy reporting from the New York Times and their suggestion that there was actually 'evidence' when it was a letter alleging that 'evidence exists," the email said.
Zegas sent the letter to the Port Authority asking it to reconsider its decision earlier this month not to pay Wildstein's legal bills.
"Evidence exists as well tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the governor stated publicly in a two-hour press conference" Zegas wrote.
Zegas also said Wildstein "contests the accuracy of various statements that the governor made about him and he can prove the inaccuracy of some."
Wildstein invoked his Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate himself when he was called before the New Jersey State Assembly last month to testify about his role in the lane closures. Zegas has said several times he wants his client to be granted immunity in exchange for testimony.
Why There's No Outcry
>by ROBERT B. REICH | Saturday, January 25, 2014 |
People ask me all the time why we don't have a revolution in America, or at least a major wave of reform similar to that of the Progressive Era or the New Deal or the Great Society.
Middle incomes are sinking, the ranks of the poor are swelling, almost all the economic gains are going to the top, and big money is corrupting our democracy. So why isn't there more of a ruckus?
The answer is complex, but three reasons stand out.
First, the working class is paralyzed with fear it will lose the jobs and wages it already has.
In earlier decades, the working class fomented reform. The labor movement led the charge for a minimum wage, 40-hour workweek, unemployment insurance, and Social Security.
No longer. Working people don't dare. The share of working-age Americans holding jobs is now lower than at any time in the last three decades and 76 percent of them are living paycheck to paycheck.
No one has any job security. The last thing they want to do is make a fuss and risk losing the little they have.
Besides, their major means of organizing and protecting themselves — labor unions — have been decimated. Four decades ago more than a third of private-sector workers were unionized. Now, fewer than 7 percent belong to a union.
Second, students don't dare rock the boat.
In prior decades students were a major force for social change. They played an active role in the Civil Rights movement, the Free Speech movement, and against the Vietnam War.
But today's students don't want to make a ruckus. They're laden with debt. Since 1999, student debt has increased more than 500 percent, yet the average starting salary for graduates has dropped 10 percent, adjusted for inflation. Student debts can't be cancelled in bankruptcy. A default brings penalties and ruins a credit rating.
To make matters worse, the job market for new graduates remains lousy. Which is why record numbers are still living at home.
Reformers and revolutionaries don't look forward to living with mom and dad or worrying about credit ratings and job recommendations.
Third and finally, the American public has become so cynical about government that many no longer think reform is possible.
When asked if they believe government will do the right thing most of the time, fewer than 20 percent of Americans agree. Fifty years ago, when that question was first asked on standard surveys, more than 75 percent agreed.
It's hard to get people worked up to change society or even to change a few laws when they don't believe government can possibly work.
You'd have to posit a giant conspiracy in order to believe all this was the doing of the forces in America most resistant to positive social change.
It's possible. of course, that rightwing Republicans, corporate executives, and Wall Street moguls intentionally cut jobs and wages in order to cow average workers, buried students under so much debt they'd never take to the streets, and made most Americans so cynical about government they wouldn't even try for change.
But it's more likely they merely allowed all this to unfold, like a giant wet blanket over the outrage and indignation most Americans feel but don't express.
Change is coming anyway. We cannot abide an ever-greater share of the nation's income and wealth going to the top while median household incomes continue too drop, one out of five of our children living in dire poverty, and big money taking over our democracy.
At some point, working people, students, and the broad public will have had enough. They will reclaim our economy and our democracy. This has been the central lesson of American history.
Reform is less risky than revolution, but the longer we wait the more likely it will be the latter.
Bridgegate Scandal: The Scandal continues
State of Denial by the right-wing!
How not to respond to scandal
As New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's (R) bridge scandal continues to unfold, his allies and defenders have a serious challenge. Under the most generous of scenarios, the governor was clueless about his own team's corruption, kept in the dark while his top aides abused their power in his name, deliberately crippling a community over petty politics.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) … praised Christie for taking responsibility, than pivoted to a criticism of Obama. "This was very, very refreshing," Giuliani said of Christie's press conference Thursday. "We have had a couple of years in Washington with a lot of situations with IRS thing, Benghazi. We have a president who runs away from press conferences like this. Never takes accountability. Never fires anybody. Here is a guy who acted like a chief executive."
The Wall Street Journal editorial board wrote in a January 9 piece that Christie's "contrition contrasts so sharply with President Obama's handling of the tax agency's abuse of political opponents and his reluctance to fire anyone other than a military general for anything." They added, "We raise this mostly because our media friends have been complicit in dismissing the IRS abuses, and for that matter every other legal abuse during the Obama years."The talking point has also been regularly featured on Fox News, raised by hosts or commentators on America's Newsroom, Fox & Friends, Hannity, The O'Reilly Factor, The Five, and Happening Now, as the network turns from ignoring the story to using it as a weapon to attack the Obama administration.
Join the conversations: Here on the DLU Landing Zone; at Facebook ; at MSNBC and beyond!
Join the DLU in support of the President and the quest to Turn Our Country – Blue!
"We the People" are uniting in ways that are necessary to make a real difference, a virtual movement; making a real change that matters in the elections moving forward. The Democratic Liberal Umbrella is a grassroots organization; consisting of mainstream every day Americans too informed to vote Republican - ever. We are sick and tired of the 'Hostage Taking Methods' employed by the GOP and the extreme Right-wing of the Party; most notability called 'The Tea Party'.
We're an umbrella group looking to merge all Democratic voting groups where we can organize into a stronger, more collective body; voicing our concerns, formulating opinions, oppositions and developing plans for an informed transformation that matters and continuing this process throughout this midterm election in 2014 and beyond!
I don't know how many of your friends are Liberals, Progressives, Independent, Moderate and/or "I Just Don't Care" about Politics. However we need everyone to defeat/beat the GOP and Tea Party in the election 2014 and beyond! We need to follow the President, the legislative Democratic Party and continue moving this country forward and I am dedicating my time to help in this process to win in 2014! Are you with me? Are you in? Join in this fight, this 'Political War of Words and Beliefs', subscribe and become one of the growing majorities here on The DLU!, Google +, Facebook, Tumblr and beyond!
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Main Content
How to cope with the week five freak-out
Thursday, 30 August 2012
We all know the feeling – it seems like uni only started a few weeks ago and suddenly everything's piling up.
Never fear! The Faculty of Business and Law is here. We have prepared a handy action plan to help you turn it all around fast:
- Remove all distractions. This pile-up will never be completed unless you turn off the TV, put your phone on silent, and log off Facebook.
- Prioritise. Lists are underrated and so are highlighters. Make a list of everything you have to do and then pick up some red, orange and green highlighters. Work on the traffic light system –red if they must be done right now, orange if they are not so critical, and green for items which would be nice to do if time permits. Don't forget to cross off the items – that's the really satisfying bit.
- Time yourself. This will help you to be disciplined and not get distracted. If you know you've only got a set amount of time to do a set amount of tasks, you can break your time up accordingly. Set a timer and go! It can be really motivating to try and finish something before the buzzer goes off.
- Work smart. If you don't have time to finish items before the buzzer sounds, move on if all the items are of equal priority. When it comes down to it, it's usually better to get a pass or a credit for everything rather than a high distinction for two things and a fail mark for the other two. Ideally, you'll be able to put in your best effort for everything.
- Eat, drink and rest. Fuel that brain of yours and reward it for all its hard work by taking short breaks to eat, drink and rest. Short breaks will prevent you from completely burning out, or from getting a headache from not drinking enough water.
- Seek help. If you're doing all you can but still struggling then get some outside help. If you don't understand the assignment or task, speak up - contact your lecturer or tutor and get some clarity. If you think you need help with your skills, visit the Academic Skills Centre, or attend one of their many free workshops on topics such as referencing, writing, and presenting.
For more information on study skills, visit the Faculty of Business and Law Academic Skills Centre in Building 2 at Joondalup, or Building 10 at Mount Lawley. You can also access their workshop timetables online by logging in to the FBL Academic Skills Centre Blackboard page under My Communities.
Faculty of Business and Law Academic Skills Centre
Phone: 134 ECU (134 328)
Email: email@example.com


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Chelsea Ladies are into Sunday's International Women's Club Championship final after defeating Australian champions Sydney in Japan on Wednesday.
Despite being put under early pressure, Chelsea broke the deadlock in the first half thanks to a stunning long-range striker from midfielder Laura Coombs, before a quick-fire double in the second period courtesy of Eniola Aluko and captain Yuki Ogimi made the victory certain.
Renee Rollason converted a free-kick for Sydney in the closing stages, before Jodie Taylor added a second nine minutes from time to set up a tense finale, but Chelsea held firm and will now face Japanese side INAC Kobe Leonessa in Sunday's Tokyo final.
Team News
Ladies manager Emma Hayes had a full squad of 17 to choose from. Her only fitness doubt, Hannah Blundel, was deemed fit to play and started at left-back.
In her own country, Ogimi, a Ballon d'Or nominee, captained the side, and was supported in attack by England internationals Aluko and Rachel Williams, who was making her Chelsea debut alongside former Birmingham City team-mate Laura Bassett.
Allie Long, on loan from Portland Thorns, and triallist Emma Wilhelmsson also started for the Blues against a Sydney side which came through its quarter-final with a 1-0 win over Japanese side NTV Beleza.
First Half
Sydney, for whom this is a mid-season competition as opposed to pre-season for Chelsea, were the quicker into their rhythm and exerted early pressure which the Blues, in white, did well to withstand.
A Jodie Taylor header dropped wide of Marie Hourihan's right-hand post, and then a rangy drive flew just wide to the left before Chelsea had even made it into the Australians' half, but smart link-up play from Ogimi and Blundell created a decent opportunity for 17-year-old Rosella Ayane, whose shot was well saved by Sydney goalkeeper Casey Du Mont.
Leena Khamis then missed a sitter for Sydney after Hourihan had saved a header, smashing the ball over the crossbar from inside the six-yard box, and it took a fantastic tackle from Long to prevent another opportunity at the half-hour mark.
Khamis headed an inswinging Ellyse Perry free-kick just wide and then Taylor shot across the face of goal as Sydney remained on top.
Chelsea had not yet shown their class too often, but it shone through clearly when we took the lead with just over 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
A passing move involving Danni Buet, Aluko and Ayane eventually ended up at the feet of midfielder Laura Coombs, who shifted the ball onto her left foot and unleashed a fantastic low drive into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Sydney responded well and almost found a leveller, only for Taylor's header to bounce on top of the crossbar before being diverted away by Blundell on the line. It was to be the final chance of a half where Chelsea had been second best, but had scored a vital first goal.
Second Half
Chelsea began the second half well, and forced the decent chance of the half when Aluko crossed from the right, picking out the powerful Williams, who headed just over.
Ogimi then sensed an opportunity at a free-kick after Williams had been fouled, bending the ball onto the crossbar, from where it bounced back out to Aluko and the England international made no mistake from 18 yards, smashing home into the bottom corner to double the lead for Hayes's side.
Things would get even better five minutes later when Williams split the Sydney defence with an excellent through ball, allowing Ogimi to race through, round the goalkeeper and slot home a third goal to seemingly take the game out of Sydney's reach.
The Australians forced a couple of half chances in response but could not muster the clear opportunity to get them back into the context. Hourihan was forced into one flying save after a shot from distance and then comfortably held a header from a corner, which had been Sydney's main source of joy.
As time ticked away, Sydney began their comeback, as first Renee Rollason rifled home a free-kick from distance and then Jodie Taylor delicately chipped into the net after being inexplicably awarded an indirect free-kick inside the Chelsea box.
Chelsea had to hold firm and survived a couple of hairy moments before Ogimi broke away down the left and crossed for Aluko, who forced a diving save from Du Mont to keep her side in the contest.
Aluko was replaced by Laura Rafferty in injury time, and the sub almost scored within seconds, seeing her shot bounce just wide of the far post, but importantly, Chelsea held on to secure a place in Tokyo, and now have a few days to prepare for an even greater test.
Chelsea Ladies: Marie Hourihan; Danni Buet, Emma Wilhelmsson, Laura Bassett, Hannah Blundell; Rosella Ayane (Drew Spence 80), Laura Coombs, Allie Long, Rachel Williams (Jodie Brett 80), Eniola Aluko (sub Laura Rafferty 90); Yuki Ogimi (c).
Unused subs: Mai Hanno, Aya Noguchi, Megan Sargeant,.
Goals Coombs 37, Aluko 52, Ogimi 57


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