text:
Lessons From the Great Inflation
Paul Volcker and Ronald Reagan's forgotten miracle created a quarter century of prosperity--and a dangerous bubble of complacency.
If you asked a group of scholars to name the most important landmarks in the American story of the last half-century, they would list some or all of the following: the war in Vietnam, the civil rights movement, the assassinations of the Kennedys and Martin Luther King, Watergate, the sexual revolution, the invention of the computer chip, Ronald Reagan's election in 1980, the end of the Cold War, the creation of the Internet, the emergence of AIDS, the terrorist attacks of September 11, and the two wars in Iraq. Looking abroad, these scholars might include other developments: the rise of Japan as a major economic power in the 1970s and '80s, the emergence of China in the 1980s from its self-imposed isolation, and the spread of nuclear weapons.
Missing from most lists would be the rise and fall of double-digit U.S. inflation. This would be a huge oversight.
We have arrived at the end of a roughly half-century economic cycle dominated by inflation, for good and ill. Its rise and fall constitute one of the great upheavals of our time, though one largely forgotten and misunderstood. From 1960 to 1979, annual U.S. inflation increased from a negligible 1.4 percent to 13.3 percent. By 2001 it had receded to 1.6 percent, almost exactly what it had been in 1960. For this entire period, inflation's climb and collapse exerted a dominant influence over the economy's successes and failures. It also shaped, either directly or indirectly, how Americans felt about themselves and their society; how they voted and the nature of their politics; how businesses operated and treated their workers; and how the American economy was connected with the rest of the world. Although no one would claim that inflation's side effects were the only forces that influenced the nation during these decades, they counted for more than most historians, economists, and journalists think. It's impossible to decipher our era, or to think sensibly about the future, without understanding the Great Inflation and its aftermath.
Stable prices provide a sense of security. They help define a reliable social and political order. Like safe streets, clean drinking water, and dependable electricity, their importance is noticed only when they go missing. When they did just that in the 1970s, Americans were horrified. From week to week, people couldn't know the cost of their groceries, utility bills, appliances, dry cleaning, toothpaste, and pizza. People couldn't predict whether their wages would keep pace with prices. People couldn't plan; their savings were at risk. And no one seemed capable of controlling inflation. The inflationary episode was a deeply disturbing and disillusioning experience that eroded Americans' confidence in their future and their leaders.
There were widespread consequences. Without double-digit inflation, Ronald Reagan almost certainly would not have been elected president in 1980; the conservative political movement that he inspired would have emerged later or, conceivably, not at all. High inflation incontestably destabilized the economy, leading to four recessions (those of 1969–70, 1973–75, 1980, and 1981–82) of growing severity. High inflation stunted the increase of living standards through lower productivity growth. High inflation caused the stock market to stagnate; the Dow Jones Industrial Average was no higher in 1982 than in 1965. And it led to a series of debt crises that afflicted American farmers, the U.S. savings and loan industry, and developing countries.
(Story continues after the video.)
|Click above to watch Robert Samuelson discuss this story.
Afterward, declining inflation—"disinflation"—led to lower interest rates, which led to higher stock prices and, much later, higher home prices. This disinflation promoted the last quarter century's prosperity. In the two decades after 1982, the business cycle moderated so that the country suffered only two relatively mild recessions (those of 1990–91 and 2001), lasting a total of 16 months. Monthly unemployment peaked at 7.8 percent in June 1992. As stock and home values rose, Americans felt wealthier and borrowed more or spent more of their current incomes. A great shopping spree ensued, and the savings rate declined. Trade deficits—stimulated by Americans' ravenous appetite for cars, computers, toys, and shoes—ballooned. At the same time, this prolonged prosperity helped spawn complacency and carelessness, which ultimately climaxed in a different sort of economic instability and the financial turmoil that assaulted the economy in 2007 and 2008.
Who Was to Blame?
Double-digit inflation was not an act of nature or a random accident. It was the federal government's greatest domestic policy blunder since World War II, the perverse consequence of well-meaning economic policies, promoted by some of the nation's most eminent academic economists. These policies promised to control the business cycle but ended up making it worse.
The episode invites comparison with the war in Vietnam, the biggest foreign policy blunder in the post–World War II era. Both arose from good intentions: The one would preserve freedom; the other would expand prosperity. Both had intellectuals as advocates, whether economists or theorists of limited war. Both suffered from overreach and simplification; events on the ground constantly confounded expectations. But there is a big difference. One (Vietnam) occupies a huge space in historic memory. The other (inflation) does not.
This inflation had no comparable precedent in American history. Sudden bursts of inflation had occurred before, almost always during wars when the government printed more money to pay for guns, soldiers, ships, and ammunition. What happened in the 1960s and '70s was different. America's most protracted peacetime inflation was the unintended side effect of policies designed to reduce unemployment and eliminate the business cycle. It was a product of the power of ideas.
In the 1960s, academic economists argued—and political leaders accepted—that the economy could be kept permanently near "full employment" (initially defined as 4 percent unemployment). Booms and busts, recessions and depressions, had long been considered ugly and unavoidable aspects of industrial capitalism. But once people accepted the idea that the business cycle could be mastered, the self-restraint that had silently kept prices and wages in check gradually crumbled. New assumptions emerged. If government could prevent recessions, then companies could always count on strong demand for their products. All higher costs (including higher labor costs) could be recovered through higher prices. Similarly, if the economy was always near "full employment," then workers could press for higher wages without facing job loss. If their current employers wouldn't pay, someone else would. Government wouldn't tolerate substantial unemployment; that was its promise. The result was a stubborn wage-price spiral. Wages chased prices, which chased wages. Inflation became self-fulfilling and entrenched.
Everything rested on an illusion, the Phillips Curve: the notion that there was a fixed tradeoff between unemployment and inflation. If true, that meant a society could consciously decide how much of one or the other it wanted. If, say, 4 percent unemployment and 4 percent inflation seemed superior to 5 percent unemployment and 3 percent inflation, then we could choose the former. The trouble was that the tradeoff didn't exist, except for brief periods. In an important 1968 paper, the economist Milton Friedman explained that, if government tried to hold unemployment below some "natural rate," the result would simply be accelerating inflation. Another economist, Edmund Phelps of Columbia University, developed the concept almost simultaneously. By their logic, governmental efforts to push unemployment down to unrealistic levels were doomed to failure.
What would actually happen in the 1970s—the constant acceleration of inflation—was foretold by Friedman and Phelps. But good ideas could not spontaneously displace the bad until actual experience demonstrated the differences, especially because the bad ideas were more politically attractive. For inflation to be reversed, the underlying politics and psychology had to change.
Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason at any time. Report abuses.
I just want to point out that Ronald Reagan's forgotten miracle is revisionist history. RR was an R, hence he stole from the poor to give to the rich.
There is a new sheriff in town and he is a D. Miracles, real ones, will soon follow.
Amazing, an entire "Who was to blame?" section on 70's inflation without a mention of the defining moment - Nixon unpegging gold from a fixed price of $35 an ounce.
That event took many years to settle in the currency market. Inflation was raging well before Carter took office - Whip Inflation Now was an empty slogan before the GOP became the official standard-bearer of empty slogans.
Prosperity in our time!
The sad thing about wayne's comment is how spot-on he is with his impression of a dim-witted partisan.
Amazing, an entire "Who was to blame?" section on 70's inflation without a mention of the defining moment - Nixon unpegging gold from a fixed price of $35 an ounce.
That event took many years to settle in the currency market. Inflation was raging well before Carter took office - Whip Inflation Now was an empty slogan before the GOP became the official standard-bearer of empty slogans.
Samuelson states:
From 1960 to 1979, annual U.S. inflation increased from a negligible 1.4 percent to 13.3 percent.
Nixon is included in that isn't he?
The inflationary episode was a deeply disturbing and disillusioning experience that eroded Americans' confidence in their future and their leaders.
All very true. Ultimately the Fed, however, has no more of a role in real economic growth and prosperity than the Wizard had in getting Dorothy home. They are masters of a monetary illusion. We offer far too much deference to the institution's ability to do much more than make things worse in the long run by trying to manage the business cycle in the short run.
How did Dorothy get home?
TANSTAAFL. That's the lesson to learn from this recession, the imminent collapse of the dollar, and the very high probability of a hyperinflationary depression.
We thought we could finance our standard of living by replacing gold with the dollar as the universal store of value, and then debasing the dollar to our advantage. As with all schemes that depend on the blindness of others to succeed, it worked for a while... but the day of reckoning, put off several times already, was always inevitable.
From the future, we borrowed a nearly 40-year advantage over historically-sustainable rates of economic growth; now, it's payback time, which will result in several decades of regression to the mean. The Great Inflation is now underway, and I see no way that this ends well for the majority of people.
Cue Warren.
It is a good rule to remember that anytime an economist tells you that he has found a way to avoid the business cycle, he is selling you fools gold. What the great inflation and the last 10 years have in common is the idea that monetary and fiscal policy could prevent recessions from ever happening. There should have been a serious recession after the tech bubble burst. But, Greenspan used monetary policy to blow up the real estate bubble and forstall a resession. We are now having to take our medicine in double doses because of that decision.
"The Great Inflation is now underway, and I see no way that this ends well for the majority of people."
I disagree. I think the danger now is deflation. The fed is pumping dollars into a system that is losing value. Asset values and commodity values are falling. That means that the danger is deflation not inflation. In fact, delfation is even worse than inflation. Despite their glee, the goldbugs are still wrong.
Indeed, business cycles are inevitable in a truly free economy, but they tend to be brief and self-correcting. It's government intrusion into the marketplace that causes catastrophic swings, often with deadly, irreversible consequences.
How did Dorothy get home?
Exactly! It was all a dream. How I wish the same was true of our current nightmare.
From 1960 to 1979, annual U.S. inflation increased from a negligible 1.4 percent to 13.3 percent.
That is miserly information for such a lofty section header. You may be satisfied but I like more depth.
I suppose that JFK is as culpable as Nixon?
Yeah, right.
I think the point of the article was that the consensus of the economists from 1960-1980 was to blame. He doesn't seem to be particularly partisan in his analysis - pointing out that no republicans other than Reagan were on board with this philosophy. His argument seems to be particularly specific - that it is Volker and Reagan - not any old Republican or Democrat - that made the change. After all, it is not like a Republican administration nominated Volker in 1979.
I disagree. I think the danger now is deflation. The fed is pumping dollars into a system that is losing value.
I agree that's exactly what they're doing, and that is precisely what will result in the Great(er) Inflation. I fail to see how pointing out that we are currently in deflation---from illusory capital disappearing back into the ether---somehow negates the argument that hyperinflation will follow.
Hyperinflation historically results from central bank reactions to deflation. Increased prices across-the-board are caused by an increase in overall demand, but the cause of this increase in demand isn't magic: what other than an increase in the money supply beyond the rate of actual wealth creation would raise aggregate demand in such a way as to force producers to raise prices without rationing?
You can argue that the central bankers are doing a good job and won't inflate too much, a point with which I'd heartily disagree based simply on historical precedent; but that's completely different from dismissing the danger of hyperinflation by saying that currently there is deflation. I mean... duh. Deflation is always the precursor to hyperinflation, the latter of which is purely a central banking phenomenon.
Despite their glee, the goldbugs are still wrong.
I would hardly call Mises a "goldbug", but he has still been spot-on in predicting this crisis. I suspect we are seeing the start of the crack-up boom. But I've given up trying to convince the deflationistas and monetarists. Time will tell who's right. My money is where my mouth is.
The fed is pumping dollars into a system that is losing value. Asset values and commodity values are falling.
Pumping dollars into the system sounds a lot like monetary inflation.
Whether deflation is a negative or a positive depends on its cause.
When prices go down because of a market correction, that is a necessary, if unpleasant for some, function signaling mal-investment due to previous stimulation.
However, if the value of the dollar goes down even more, some things will increase in price, provided those prices were not previously inflated.
Deflation is a positive provided that it is caused by increasing productivity and not by monetary contraction.
Since when is Robert J. Samuelson an economist?
Despite their glee, the goldbugs are still wrong.
Speaking as a certified "goldbug"; First of all I'm not in the least bit gleeful. Believing that the dollar should be on the gold standard hasn't motivated me to hoard gold (though I now have a small pile of silver). But even if I did, gold is still way off it's highs from earlier in the year. The prospect of runaway inflation frightens me greatly. If I'm right and next year inflation hits and gold prices soar, having gold only means you're not loosing as much value as everyone else. But I'd rather be middle class in a vibrant economy than an aristocrat in a feeble one. Inflation is going to hurt everyone, even those who guess right about where to put their savings.
Second of all, I see nothing in what you've said that contradicts the thesis that we should back our currency with gold.
FOOLS!!! All fools!!! This is the time for a bold new experiment! The market is not functioning correctly and old methods don't work anymore! Give me 10 trillion dollars and I will save the economy! (immitates Dr. Evil by lifting pinky to lips)
There are no such thing as a free lunch? Am?
The intarwebs are a wonderful thing, them tubes are.
blockquote>In fact, delfation is even worse than inflation.
Monetary deflation is no worse than inflation, int he long term. Changes in the money supply, whether natural or artificial, affect different sectors of the economy differently. They affect earlier stages of production first, and consumers last. We see the bad effects of deflation before we see the good effects, which is opposite of inflation. With deflation we see unemployment right off the bat, while under monetary inflation we don't see the price increases until later.
But in the long run one is no better or worse than the other. How is the scaling back of production under deflation worse than the inevitable bust in production under inflation?
Setting a small but positive inflation target is good, but only because a small deflation is natural.
p.s. Just to mollify the goldbugs, I think the gub'ment should get out of the money business altogether, but if it's going to meddle around, I would prefer a firm inflation target than the arbitrary whims we have today.
How about a compromise:
Uranium instead of gold! Benefits are that you will want to spend it as soon as you get it or you will want put it in a bank... so much for hoarding coins in your house. It increases both consumption and saving! Additionally, economic superpowers become nuclear superpowers - but only if they keep actual reserves on hand. Plus there's the small chance that we all become superheroes every time we grab change from a vending machine.
But Bingo . . . what are about the children?
Our extra-limbed children will be so much more productive with their additional extremities that we will be able to pay for social security and universal healthcare and as many financial institutions as our heart desires.
I'm with ya Bingo. Though a reorganization of the Justice Department will be necessary. Toddlers running around spreading doom where ever they decide to play. Plus . . . who will handle their radioactive diapers?
"Jack Kemp (D-N.Y.), a Republican supply-sider..."
I'm confused...
Somehow this made me think of this article at Edge.org*
Be sure to read the comments.
I liked Douglas Rushkoff's response in particular.
*I believe this has been posted on H&R previously.
The problem with a uranium standard is that it's naturally deflating. Unless you do some sort of uranium-lead bimetalism.
...I think the gub'ment should get out of the money business altogether...
The US constitution specifies how the government should be in the money business, and precisely what constitutes money: gold and silver.
Reading the article you forget that Carter was President for the first 2 years of Volker's interest rate hikes.
Samuelson says that most Presidents wouldn't have accepted Volker's 'plan'....ignores that Carter did just that.
Revisionist deification of Reagan is a full time job. Keep it up Bob!
Nixon unpegging gold from a fixed price of $35 an ounce.
How is "price fixing" libertarian?
You can argue that the central bankers are doing a good job and won't inflate too much, a point with which I'd heartily disagree based simply on historical precedent; but that's completely different from dismissing the danger of hyperinflation by saying that currently there is deflation. I mean... duh. Deflation is always the precursor to hyperinflation, the latter of which is purely a central banking phenomenon.
Squarooticus, my old monetary adversary...
At least now you are acknowledging deflation as being real and worrisome. Now, the question of whether this inevitably leads to massive government spurred hyperinflation can be properly addressed from a realistic reference frame.
The only fiat currency inflationary episode under the current system was the 70's. It was effectively quelled by tightening rates. At the time, this was a controversial notion, but no longer. Even when people were still using artificially low (but politically popular) unemployment and the fallacy of the Phillips curve to justify inflation - it didn't get over 20 odd percent. Don't get me wrong, that's BAD. But it's not Zimbabwe bad, or even Turkey bad. And that was when we lacked the political will to fix it, and few people in power understood the cause and the solution. Why do you assume this time will be much much worse?
But in the long run one is no better or worse than the other. How is the scaling back of production under deflation worse than the inevitable bust in production under inflation?
Deflation as a natural state under a fixed sized currency is not conducive to any type of credit. Say you want to buy a 100,000 house. You borrow your 80k and pay 0% interest. Over the thirty year loan life, you have 3% deflation. Now your house has decreased in value (to around 40k - which will buy the same stuff as 100k did 30 years ago) and you have payed back 80k in dollars that were 3% sucessively harder to earn every year you have paid a 3% real interest rate. This is exactly the same as if you paid 6% interest, with 3% inflation.
People go around talking about nominal interest rates (0% and 6% in the above example) like they know what they are talking about. Rubbish - the two cases are economically identical. The supply and demand for credit sets the real interest rate given a rational expectation of in/deflation. In a world where 3% deflation was the steady norm and rates were 0%, it's not hard to imagine that people would bake in an assumption that this trend would continue.
Now here is the problem: Lets say, for whatever reason, that demand for credit went down. Maybe some banks screwed up, maybe there was uncertainty politically, maybe there is a dry spell where few technological innovations occurred. Whatever. Even though the demand for credit should reduce the interest rate banks can charge - it's already at 0%. They cannot reduce it any further, because no lender would consent to lending unencumbered cash for less than a 0% nominal rate of interest - they could always do better in their mattress. Therefore there is a market failure whereby lenders refuse to lend because the market clearing rate is too low (
"The US constitution specifies how the government should be in the money business, and precisely what constitutes money: gold and silver."
This is a popular misconception stoked by some politicians who profess to adhere to the constitution, but don't necessarily read it.
In fact, the words "gold" and "silver" make just one appearance in the document: Art 1, Sec 10:
"No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts..."
And on it goes, laying out several other restrictions on the power of STATES. Not rules for the FEDERAL government, mind you, but rules for the STATES.
Some powers of the federal government, namely Congress, are detailed just two sections earlier in Art 1, Sec 8. Among those, interestingly, are...
"To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures..."
So, Congress has the power not only to create money, but also to regulate what it is worth. Imagine Congress exercising this to the letter and voting on what the dollar should be worth. Wouldn't THAT be neat?
Instead, by some miracle, the looters decided to create the Fed and delegate a lot of this "money" authority to it. Constitutionally, they could seize the authority back, but they have not done so.
The results, while they could certainly be improved upon, have hardly been the nightmare that is often portrayed.
Access we have to admire you. There are plenty of bargaining central Sheepskin Ugg Boots our web store said. All of them are able to style real and alarming. achieved agreement on Ugg Boots Online Store to feel the richness and warm. You surely do not condition of


text:
Two 16-year-olds, a boy and a girl, were struck down on a Farmingdale sidewalk Friday near the High School, leaving the boy in critical condition at an area hospital, police said.
A 17-year-old driver was at the wheel when he plowed into the pedestrians, who were on the curb on Parkdale Drive about 2:20 p.m. Friday, Nassau County detectives reported. The street is about two blocks east of Farmingdale High School and just north of the Southern State Parkway.
Police said the unidentified male victim suffered a serious head injury and was listed in critical condition at an area hospital.
The unidentified girl suffered an arm injury; She has been treated and released.
The victims were standing at the curb when the driver, who has not been identified, could not negotiate a sharp curve, police said. His 2001 Oldsmobile Alero drifted to the opposite side of the road, striking the victims, according to police. Both victims were transported by ambulance crews from the scene.
Receive updates to this story and other breaking news in your inbox or smartphone by signing up for our newsletter here
Parkdale Drive makes a sharp curve as it continues northward toward Grant Street.
The investigation, which involves no criminality at this time, is ongoing, police said. The Oldsmobile was impounded for routine safety checks.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The 14th annual Western Maryland Blues Fest will take place from May 28 through May 31, 2009 in Hagerstown, Maryland. The event will take place at the City Central Lot on N. Potomac Street on Friday and Saturday, and at the City Park Bandshell on Sunday.
West Maryland Blues Fest 2009 Line-Up
Since its creation in 1995, the festival has grown to become one of the premiere events on the East Coast, featuring a mix of local, regional and national musical talent. This year's Blues Fest line-up is anchored by the virtuoso guitarwork of Derek Trucks, the big band blues sound of Roomful of Blues, and the slash-and-burn houserockin' fretwork of Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers.
Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials, who recently won the Blues Music Award as "Band of the Year," will perform on Friday evening. Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers headline Friday night's line-up with their guitar-driven blues-rock sound. The band has been on the road for over a year, touring in support of their 2008 album Inside Tracks.
Saturday will add a second stage for the Blues Fest's performers, and the day's line-up will include a set from the talented Janiva Magness. Longtime blues music institution Roomful of Blues will close down one stage with an early-evening appearance, while the Derek Trucks Band will headline and close down the event with a Saturday night performance.
Other performers at this year's West Maryland Blues Fest include:
- Bonerama
- Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
- The Mike Stern Band
- Bad Influence Band
- The Kelly Bell Band
- Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band
Blues Fest Headline Performers
Young guitar prodigy Derek Trucks first picked up the instrument at the age of nine, and he was soon sharing the stage with blues legends like Buddy Guy. Influenced by the style of Duane Allman - his uncle Butch Trucks is the Allman Brothers Band's longtime drummer - as well as bluesmen like Guy and Elmore James, and jazz artists like John Coltrane and Sun Ra, Derek had performed alongside talents like Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh, and Stephen Stills before he was old enough to drink.
For over three decades now, Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials have been a Chicago blues institution. Featuring the fiery slide-guitar play of frontman Lil' Ed Williams, the band has pursued its vision of good-time, houserockin' blues in spite of changing trends, thrilling audiences around the globe. Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials have spent their entire career on the Alligator Records label, the band's most recent album - 2008's Full Tilt - was nominated for a Blues Music Award. Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials were honored as the "Band of the Year" in the 30th Annual Blues Music Awards in Memphis.
Janiva Magness recently walked off with the coveted B.B. King Entertainer of the Year award from The Blues Foundation at the 30th Annual Blues Music Awards, as well as a winning second award for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year. A powerful vocalist with a soulful sound, Magness has forged a career in the blues with hard work and no little talent. What Love Will Do is the singer's latest album, an inspired effort that masterfully blends raunchy blues with Memphis soul and a classic R&B sound.
The Nighthawks Rock The Park!
Blues-and-roots-rock faves the Nighthawks will be making a special pre-festival appearance on Thursday night, May 28th, performing at the University Plaza Park on West Washington Street in downtown Hagerstown. Admission is free, but limited, so get there early - the show begins at 5:00 PM and the gates open an hour earlier. The Nighthawks are currently on tour supporting the band's latest effort, American Landscape.
Family Blues Picnic
On Sunday, the Western Maryland Blues Fest features a free family blues picnic, held at the City Park Bandshell. The line-up for this event includes the Rhythm Kings, Jumptown, the Ruby Hayes Blues Band, and the Campbell Brothers.
Check with the West Maryland Blues Fest website for performance schedules and ticket availability.


text:
COMMENTARY | St. Louis Cardinals spring training is an annual rite for hundreds of Redbirds rooters.
But despite a warm relationship between Midwestern snow birds eager for their first taste of baseball after a long winter, and South Florida innkeepers and restaurant operators of Jupiter and Palm Beach who are excited to have some offseason business, camp Cardinal is in danger.
The Redbirds may opt to move out of their spring home since 1998 as soon as next year if the exodus of ball clubs from the area isn't halted.
Once home to the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Florida (now Miami) Marlins, Montreal Expos-turned-Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Yankees, and Cardinals, the southeast coast of Florida has dwindled down to only four remaining clubs: St. Louis, Miami, the Mets, and the Nats. That's apparently the smallest number of clubs the Cardinals and Marlins are willing to tolerate because traveling to the Tampa Bay or Orlando areas to find spring training games is too much of a hassle.
A journey from Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter to the Yankees' spring training home in Tampa is a 186-mile trip on secondary roads that takes a little bit more than three hours to cover in each direction. A drive from Jupiter to Fort Myers where the Twins and Red Sox train is about 140 miles. That takes about 2 hours, 45 minutes to navigate. It's typical to see several of the Cardinals' veteran players beg off the cross-state trips, which usually start before sunrise an end sometime after 8 p.m., to the disappointment of fans.
According to the Palm Beach Post, the Cardinals and Marlins each have an option on their lease at Roger Dean Stadium that allows them to opt out of their contract to play there if one more neighboring team pulls out. The Nationals, who play at aging Space Coast Stadium in Viera, are currently exploring a move to either the Orlando area in Central Florida or else to Arizona. They have an opt-out in their ballpark lease after the current edition of spring training ends, and it seems all but certain they will relocate.
In response, according to the Palm Beach Post, the Cardinals have quietly explored the idea of moving to the Orlando area near where the Braves, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros now play. It's about 85 miles from there to the Tampa region, so it would take about an hour and a half to go play the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays and the Yankees.
I'd hope before that move would happen that the folks in Palm Beach County would attempt to bring another couple of teams to the area.
I've talked to Jupiter hotel and restaurant managers over the years who say that they count on the revenue they make from spring training visitors to keep their bottom line healthy. Cardinals fans have put down roots in the decade an a half since the Redbirds moved to Jupiter after 50 years in St. Petersburg. A lot of them have purchased condominiums and have made other financial and emotional investments in the area. So it seems that it would be worth their while to keep the Cardinals and Marlins from packing up for elsewhere.
If Palm Beach County leaders could find a spot in West Palm Beach to put a complex that two clubs could call home, it would guarantee that southeast Florida baseball would remain viable.
Arizona has poached several Grapefruit League teams over the years, including the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox, with sweetheart deals to build them new ballparks at rock-bottom lease prices. If Florida tourism officials want to stay in the business of spring training, they're going to have to start to offer similar deals. The most likely clubs to move might be the Astros and Toronto Blue Jays, who play in two of the smallest and oldest ballparks in the Grapefruit League.
Osceola County Stadium, built in the 1980s and renovated a decade ago, is the smallest spring training ballpark for a major-league club with only 5,300 seats. While it is clean and in good repair, the Astros' home park is thoroughly unexciting, and in the last five years it has struggled to attract even 4,000 people per game -- which is near the bottom of the spring training attendance chart. The Cardinals typically average more than 6,500 visitors for spring games.
Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, named after a Dunedin-area used-car dealership that paid less than $26,000 a year for naming rights, holds only about 5,500 people. It has very little parking and practice fields are located more than 3 miles away. The Blue Jays' contract to play there expires in 2017.
Another option could be the Cardinals' National League Central rivals from Milwaukee. According to the Arizona Republic, the Brewers' lease to play in suburban Phoenix expires in 2014 and negotiations with Arizona officials about where the club will play in the future have been contentious.
Roger Dean Stadium is a spring baseball utopia. It would be a shame to let the mutually beneficial relationship between the Cardinals and the nicest area of Florida come to an end.
Now is the time to act to save it.
Scott Wuerz has been a reporter and columnist at the Belleville News-Democrat, located in suburban St. Louis, since 1998. During that time he has covered three St. Louis Cardinals World Series appearances, the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star game and Mark McGwire's chase to break Roger Maris' home run record. He has penned the View From the Cheap Seats Cardinals fan blog for the News-Democrat since 2007.
- Baseball
- Sports & Recreation
- spring training
- spring training
- spring training
- spring training
- spring training
- spring training
- Florida
- Florida
- Florida
- Palm Beach


text:
Who is 5 STAR Marketing Community?
The story trails back to 2006 when Chris Williams risked the leave of Corporate America to start his first business, 5 STAR Restaurant Marketing, LLC. While helping the independent restaurants build better marketing systems for more repeat and new customers, Chris realized in 2009 the demand was there to help the small business professionals as well. With the small business owner in mind, 5 STAR Direct Marketing was created in April 2009 which lead to a one-on-one consulting firm and shortly to follow, 5 Star Marketing Community was born, bringing small business owners together through networking, education and training.
Today, 5 Star Marketing Community exists of CEOs, small business owners and sales professionals who are relying on 5 Star to make a difference for the better in their marketing and sales efforts. We have helped literally hundreds of small business professionals exceed their goals and improve their marketing systems dramatically.
Is there any long-term commitments to Membership or Services?
Nope. All of our services are month-to-month. We do ask at least a 3 month commitment but most clients and members stay well long beyond that because of the quality people they are doing business with.
Why don't you have long term-commitments or long-term contracts?
Because we don't believe in long-term contracts that tie you down with point-less financial burdens. When Members begin experiencing results, they choose to stay with us on their own terms.
Why are your costs so affordable?
We know there may be other costs towards new marketing campaigns, website enhancements or other sales collateral. We wanted to make sure you have it in your budget for the other things on the road of entrepreneurship.
Whom have you learned all these marketing strategies and techniques from?
Survival and hard work. Tweaking strategies and making them better. Listening to our audiences and implementing what they want. From online courses and live training seminars. And a BIG THANKS to: All my past and current clients! Plus my mentors and friends- Joe Stumpf, Bill Glazer, Dan Kennedy, Seth Godin, Dan Sullivan, Zig Ziglar, John Jantsch, all my restaurant clients (former and current), Tony Robbins and Jairek Robbins and so many others strategic alliances and marketing coaches. Cheers to all of you!
I just don't have the time to commit to my business and become successful and get organized. So, what do you expect me to do with what I will learn in 5 Star?
Get more from hiring us as your 1-on-1 consultant. You will save time, money and get results faster than if you were to do everything by yourself.
What is your favorite pizza and favorite beer?
Wow! Great question. Pepperoni with artichoke hearts and portabella mushrooms. My favorite beer? Porters...and almost any local craft brew here in San Diego county.
Can I call you if I have an issue on a marketing strategy that I don't get?
Of course.
Can I just hire you to be my Outside Sales Rep or Admin?
No thank you.
I know it sounds affordable, but really…I can't afford it. Can you give me a "break" on the price?
Your budget consists of three things: Time, Commitment and Money. If you are seriously committed to your business, these three areas of budget won't be a factor. You will see the value once you commit to your business 100%. So yes--any price is given a break and will fit your budget.
Contact Us Today to discover how you can take control of your
marketing that will work FOR you and NOT AGAINST you.


text:
Roger & Anne as Alumni Leaders
By Jean Anderson '87
As an active member of the Chicago Knox Club and Alumni Council, I've been able to watch as Roger and Anne interact with alumni of all generations. I strongly believe in the importance of engaging an organization's people in its successful operation. And Roger embodies this belief. Where else can new graduates recite the three institutional goals Roger set out when he became president? Where else but Knox is the grounds crew asked to stand and be applauded at every Commencement ceremony? And where have you ever dined where the food services staff is called out during the meal so they can be recognized for their hard work? Yep, right here.
Roger also likes to challenge both alumni and current students: "When someone asks you where you go (went) to college, do you say 'oh, some little place in the Midwest that you've never heard of'?" This is nearly word for word the answer I used in the mid-1980s, but over the 10 years of Roger's tenure, I've observed a clear difference in the response to this question -- and accompanying swagger -- among my fellow alumni.
And I'll always remember a Chicago Knox Club meeting where I was working the registration table, and I saw this woman striding to me with this big smile on her face. My first thought was, "She looks like a lot of fun." A moment later, she gave me her name for the event. It was Anne Taylor. Anyone who knows her knows she's been many things beyond fun in working with Roger to cultivate this renewed sense of pride among alumni old and new. Following Roger's retirement as president, I look forward to enjoying his and Anne's company as fellow alumni of our beloved Knox College.
Jean Anderson has been a member of the Alumni Council since 2005, serving as its chair for the last two years. She is the last chair of the council to work directly under the leadership of the Taylors.
Learn more about the Taylor Presidential Scholarship.


text:
Originally published on Wed February 6, 2013 7:23 pm
Just a stone's throw from two of Los Angeles' busiest freeways lies the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve, a unique spot in an urban jungle.
The northern portion of the reserve is adorned with 30-foot-tall cottonwood trees, spots of coyote bush and other plants. Native plants cover 50 percent of the nature spot, says Kris Ohlenkamp with the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society.
"On the other side it was significantly more than that," he says.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio will deliver the Republican response to the president's State of the Union address this upcoming Tuesday.
NPR's Tamara Keith filed this report for our Newscast unit:
"Rubio is a rising star of the Republican party, who was elected as part of the Tea Party wave in 2010. "He's the son of Cuban immigrants and is part of a bipartisan group of senators working on immigration reform legislation. He'll deliver the response in both English and Spanish.
"Rubio is a rising star of the Republican party, who was elected as part of the Tea Party wave in 2010.
"He's the son of Cuban immigrants and is part of a bipartisan group of senators working on immigration reform legislation. He'll deliver the response in both English and Spanish.
Originally published on Thu February 7, 2013 6:50 am
The Obama administration says lethal airstrikes, delivered stealthily by drones, have been a major success in its counterterrorism efforts. But the administration has been much less successful in keeping secret the details of the often controversial drone program.
Last May, Foreign Policy published this story providing details on 12 U.S. drone bases spread across three continents, from the Seychelles to the Philippines.
Originally published on Wed February 6, 2013 8:36 pm
Minnesota has a Democratic governor, two Democratic senators, and Democrats control both houses of its Legislature. So it may have come as no surprise when President Obama went there earlier this week to rally support for his proposals to reduce gun violence.
But even in the politically blue state, there's considerable resistance to placing further restrictions on gun ownership.
During his visit to a Minneapolis police facility Monday, Obama urged Minnesotans to find common ground in curbing gun violence.
Top-ranked archrivals Michigan and Ohio State faced off Wednesday night on the basketball court for the second time in this season (Michigan won in overtime to split the series).
But both states' Republican governors have something more in common this week than an intense distaste for their neighboring state's athletic team.
Originally published on Wed February 6, 2013 7:12 pm
What do the Kansas City Royals, C. Everett Koop, Jack Nicholson and the United Methodist Church all have in common?
Turns out the Major League Baseball team, the former surgeon general, the actor and the denomination's general board and church society are all enemies of firearms, and as such have made it onto the National Rifle Association's list of "National Organizations With Anti-Gun Policies."
James Hunter has spent his life learning how to tell soul's stories in fresh and personal ways. Born in 1962 in Essex, England and mentored early on by Van Morrison, he embarked on a career with many ups and downs before breaking through in America in his forties. Now the Grammy-nominated Hunter has made his first album in the States, where the music he loves was born.
Originally published on Wed February 6, 2013 6:12 pm
Members of an Amish church group who were convicted of committing hate crimes against other Amish will be sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Cleveland.
The 16 parishioners were found guilty last September of shearing the beards and hair of their perceived enemies in an effort to shame their victims.
Bittersweet Nuptials
The sequence of events has shaken Lizzie Miller and other Amish across Eastern Ohio, where the assaults took place.
The characteristics of gun violence in the U.S. are largely unknown because key federal health agencies have been banned from conducting such research since the mid-1990s.
President Obama, however, wants to change that.
Originally published on Wed February 6, 2013 7:19 pm
President Obama's choice to take over at the Department of the Interior comes from the business world. Sally Jewell is the CEO of outdoor equipment supplier REI.
"For Sally, the toughest part of this job will probably be sitting behind a desk," the president said when introducing his nominee Wednesday. "I suspect she'll want to get out of the office quite a bit."
Before Jewell took the reins at REI, she worked in the financial industry at Washington Mutual. Before that, she was an engineer in the oil business, with Mobil.


text:
2, 3 and 4-star Gatwick hotelsBook early and save
From low-cost 2-star Gatwick airport hotels to luxurious 4-star hotels, we've something for everyone at Gatwick airport. The 4-star Gatwick hotels have the very best selection of facilities, often featuring swimming pools, multiple restaurants, fitness centres and large conference rooms. Our 3-star Gatwick hotels tend to offer a good range of facilities, usually including a restaurant and business facilities, and combine value and comfort. Our 2-star Gatwick hotels all have en suite bathrooms and are available for unbeatable prices in some great locations.
4-star Gatwick hotels
With recognisable names such as the Hilton, Ramada, Mercure, Holiday Inn, Sofitel and Crowne Plaza, our 4-star Gatwick hotels guarantee quality. The Hilton and Sofitel are directly connected to the South and North Terminals respectively, offering a quick and easy walk to the airport check-in desk. Our 4-star Gatwick hotels feature a multitude of leisure and business facilities. Many hotels, such as the Crowne Plaza and Ramada, have their own swimming pools and gyms. For full details of the facilities on offer at all 14 of our 4-star Gatwick hotels, visit our Gatwick hotels page.
3-star Gatwick hotels
Our range of 3-star Gatwick hotels certainly isn't short of well-known brand names either, with Travelodge, Best Western, Express by Holiday Inn and the Courtyard by Marriott all represented. Our 3-star Gatwick hotel range is also home to family-run and smaller hotels at Gatwick airport, such as the Gatwick Russ Hill and the Gatwick Worth.
2-star Gatwick hotels
We also have a selection of 2-star Gatwick hotels to choose from: the Gatwick Ibis, Gatwick Acorn Lodge, Gatwick White House and Gatwick Corner House hotel. All are affordable, convenient and close to Gatwick airport. The Acorn Lodge, White House and the Corner House are all small, family-run hotels with their own bars and restaurants. Both tucked away in near Gatwick, they're great choices for an inexpensive 2-star Gatwick hotel stay.
Not only do we offer the best products and service, we're so confident in our prices that we'll give you your Gatwick hotel for free if you find the same deal for less. See our Free If offer page for details.
Undercover Hotels
We keep the identity of our Undercover Hotels secret until after you've booked. By doing this we can keep the price much lower than we could otherwise, meaning you'll save money on one of our top-quality 3 or 4-star Gatwick hotels. You won't know the name until after you've booked, but can rest assured you'll be receiving the best in quality and value.
Customer Reviews
Paid for 4 star hotel at Gatwick and the children's beds were bunk beds which creaked all night long, no one got much sleep and not much fun before an early flight. Also the car parking service booked with the hotel booking - basically waved goodbye to the car and kept our fingers crossed it was returned, well we got it back tonight and still waiting for an answer why all the radio settings have been lost and the clock was reset to midnight.
Mrs Lockett 01 Jan, 2014 ( out of 5)
Crowne Plaza
Very good value for a super 4 star hotel and 12 days parking
Mr Mcgrail 17 Mar, 2013 ( out of 5)
Yes and yes, but the hotel room was not 4 star and the hotel was much too far from the airport.
Mr Nunan 05 Jun, 2012 ( out of 5)
Copthorne Effingham
Room at copthorne effingham was very outdated with worn carpets and furniture. Not worth of a 4 star rating
Mrs Edwards 30 Dec, 2011 ( out of 5)
Sandman Signature
hotel was not 4 star quality
Mrs Norburn 03 Nov, 2011 ( out of 5)
Everything Holiday Extras did ran smoothly. However, the Menzies Chequers hotel near Gatwick, where we were booked to spend the night before flying to Corfu, does not deserve its 4 star rating.
Mr Jordan 19 Oct, 2011 ( out of 5)
Hotel not 4 star quality as regards food. Also, hotel really only caters for all inclusive visitors. No provision for half board visitors to buy a light lunch - full lunch or nothing at 15 Euros per head.
Mr Platt 30 Sep, 2011 ( out of 5)
The hotel room and car parking facility was excellent. The food package however was terrible due to the lack of service, uncooked chicken etc. It was certainly not a 4 star experience.
Mrs Lane 15 Sep, 2011 ( out of 5)
I got this deal as a cheap "under cover" 4 star hotel. It was good value for money but I'd have been very disappointed if I'd paid full price. Also the places to eat are extremely limited and terribly expensive.
Mr Curran 26 Jul, 2011 ( out of 5)
Worth hotel
A good hotel .I'm a great fan of your ' secret 4 star 'deal. I've stayed several times at the same hotel and feel it is good value for the money,including the swim!
Dr O'malley 10 Jun, 2011 ( out of 5)
Hotel was very good for 3 star car parking facilities great
Mr Ward 03 Dec, 2010 ( out of 5)
Cambridge Standard Room
Very helpful staff excellent restaurant at the Cambridge Hotel although the accommodation was a bit tied but it is only rated as a 3 star hotel. On the whole very pleased and would book again
Mr Ward 16 Nov, 2010 ( out of 5)
Very efficient as always. This time I booked a cheap 3 star undercover hotel, with parking. The hotel was a little tired in appearance but was clean, comfortable and included transfer costs. A bargain.
Mr Smith 10 Oct, 2010 ( out of 5)
Courtyard by Marriott
Everything went smoothly and the staff were very helpful and pleasant both with the car parking and hotel accommodation. The hotel accommodation I would class nearer to 4 Star than 3 but food and drinks were expensive for a 3 star which makes the overnight stay not quite so economical.
Mrs Mcgonigle 06 Feb, 2010 ( out of 5)
Sandman Signature
Ramada hotel was disappointing more a 3 star than a 4 star. For example some staff indifferent or sarcastic and door on cupboard in room coming off hinges. Although room booked for two people we only had toiletries and tea/coffee and busicuits for one.
Mrs Cosgrove 03 Apr, 2009 ( out of 5)


text:
the best reviews
their picks
what to buy
|Gain HE 2x Concentrated Liquid Detergent, Original Fresh Scent, 64-Load Bottle (Pack of 4)
(23 reviews)
In Stock.
Sponsored Links are keyword-targeted advertisements provided through the Google AdWords™ program.
These listings are administered, sorted and maintained by Google. For information about these Google ads, go to adwords.google.com.
Google may place or recognize a unique "cookie" on your Web browser. Information from this cookie may be used by Google to help provide advertisers with more targeted advertising opportunities. For more information about Google's privacy policy, including how to opt out, go to www.google.com/ads/preferences.
By clicking on Sponsored Links you will leave ConsumerSearch.com. The web site you will go to is not endorsed by ConsumerSearch.


text:
Whether or not you actually own livestock, the ritual of giving a cow or a goat is an important aspect of reciprocity and relationship building in Uganda.
Month: June 2011
Defining a Social Network
The old adage "no man is an island" and "nobody lives in a vacuum" are true. We live in a complex network of relationships and communities that shape our worldview, behavior and influence our daily behavior. A social network is the socio-cultural group made up of individuals or institutions called "nodes." These are connected by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as profession, title, kinship, common interest, dislike, etc. They can also be constructed around relationships of beliefs, knowledge or power. Social webs help illustrate the multivariate roles people play across a range of socio-cultural strata.
So why exactly does it matter? Simply put, knowing a target's social network is the gateway to ethnographic insight. Remember, in a social network:
- Subjects and their actions are viewed as interdependent rather than independent or autonomous units
- Relational ties (linkages) between subjects are channels for resource flow (either material or nonmaterial)
- Network models focusing on individuals view the network structural environment as providing opportunities for or constraints on individual action
- Network models conceptualize structure (social, economic, political and so forth)
Beyond Mobility: What Businesses Can Learn From Ugandan Banking
Drive through any city, town or village in Uganda and you'll see a multitude of buildings painted bright yellow. That yellow is the color identity of MTN, a self-described "mobile communications and network access company" that sells phones, SIM cards and phone accessories. At first glance, they're a fairly standard regional phone and Internet provider.
What isn't ho-hum, however, is their MTN MobileMoney service. This service allows you to walk into any MTN retail (I use that term very loosely for many of the outlets) and put money in an online account. This money can then be sent to any recipient via text, for a fee. The recipient need only take the text to another MTN outlet to redeem tangible currency.
This may seem fairly benign to those of us used to mobile banking via the Internet. But, then again, we live in a cashless society. In contrast to much of the West, Uganda is a cash society. Except for marked establishment in Kampala and Entebbe, where most westerners – and increasingly, the Chinese – are concentrated, you'd be hard pressed to spot a place that will accept your Visa or an ATM. Banks themselves can be few and far between. Phone stores? Everywhere. MobileMoney has become a surrogate ATM. What money you have, you put into your mobile money account, so you can pull cash out at leisure from practically any community.
The other way this mobile banking has come into play is with remittances. Like much of the developing world, transient or migrant fathers and sons keep many families afloat by sending part of their earnings back home. For the last 50 years, this transaction has been done only when the employed return home or by entrusting money in an envelope with a bus driver, who doubles as "courier." Now, money can be transmitted safely and instantaneously.
So what does this say about mobile technology and different needs in different societies? And what can banking in the developed world take from it? Quite a bit. Innovation doesn't stem from examining the obvious and we can learn a great deal about our own practices and beliefs by learning how others think about mobile technology, money, banking stability, technology as an expression of power, etc. It can break down preconceived notions we have about ourselves and people around the globe. And above all else, it can define new opportunities that your competitors have never even considered.
Ethnography Gone Bad
I wrote the other day about the misuse of the term "ethnography" and seemed to raise the ire of a few folks. Ethnography, I was informed, is indeed the collective property of all researchers and it's definition is subject to the chosen uses of the day. Being the anthropologist and would be semiotician that I am, I would concur insofar as meaning changes through time, is subject to cultural interpretation, etc. True enough. However, I would also argue that before meaning can change, it still needs to be grounded in something. To do otherwise is no different than me saying "Peaches are books because I said so." I may indeed make that definition, and on a grand cosmic scale it may be true, but if I choose to read a peach today or bite into a book when I'm hungry, I'm will to bet I will be sadly disappointed. Thus so, it behooves us to think about what ethnography actually means and why it means it. "Ethnography" has come to be equated with virtually any qualitative research project.
While an ethnographic approach to research is no longer "owned" solely by of the sociologist, cultural anthropologist or sociolinguist, it doesn't mean we should tuck our tails between our legs and simply accept any definition put before us. A more precise definition needs to be rooted in ethnography's disciplinary home of anthropology. There lies it's origin and therefore it has a place in the formation and definition, whether practiced by anthropologists or more general market researchers and product developers. Thus, ethnography may be defined as both a qualitative research process and method (one conducts an ethnography, not a bunch of "ethnographies," by the by) and product (the outcome of the process is an ethnography, as in a literary genre). The aim is cultural interpretation, not simply a series of anecdotes about individual behaviors. The ethnographer goes beyond reporting events and details of experience. Specifically, he or she attempts to explain how these details represent what Geertz called "webs of meaning." It seeks to understand and explain the cultural constructions in which we live.
This means that ethnographers generate understandings of culture through representation of what we call an emic perspective, or what might be described as the "'insider's point of view." The emphasis in this representation is on allowing critical categories and meanings to emerge from the ethnographic encounter rather than imposing these from existing models. An etic perspective, by contrast, refers to a more distant, analytical orientation to experience. Both emic and etic factor into the final product and require triangulation or data and a theoretical framework. It also means taking into account more than interview data and considering the totality of the setting, the context and the interplay between people in the encounter. An ethnographic understanding is developed through close exploration of multiple sources of data. Using these data sources as a foundation, the ethnographer relies on a cultural frame of analysis. In other words, it means having an holistic approach to understanding how the human condition unfolds and an finds expression.
So yes, "ethnography" is, like all language, defined in the act of communication. It will no doubt change again before all is said and done as a broader range of disciplines adopt it as another method, another writing style and another way of understanding the world. Hopefully it won't be watered down to the point of uselessness in the meantime. It is sometimes important to take a stand on what things mean and how they come to mean them. Not just for ourselves, but for the people who hire us.
Four Elements of a Successful Brand Extension
While executives rightly proceed with caution when considering brand extensions, the rewards of success are substantial. Although Apple's is, rightfully, the darling of the hour (the iPod, iPad and iPhone are shining examples), Apple is certainly not unique. Other powerful brands that have created enormous equity by extending into unlikely categories include Amazon and Virgin. Customers give some brands a great deal of permission to extend into unlikely places, provided the extension can readily create a symbolic frame that goes beyond the product to what the brand represents holistically.
So how is it done? It's not as simple as slapping your logo on a new product in a new category. There are several considerations to keep in mind.
1. Do you have the guts to take the leap and stick with it?
Like any new venture, remember that brand extensions are risky. "Know thyself" is a tremendous factor in deciding whether or not to extend the brand, so take time to honestly assess how much risk you're willing to take on. If you stretch too far, customers may well reject the brand extension. Understand how you will manage failure as well as success.
2. How well loved is the brand?
The more customers like the brand, the more likely they are to be loyal. If they love the brand it isn't that far from a state of near-religious devotion. Step one is for brand managers assess metrics such as awareness, familiarity and current market share – yes, I am advocating the use of numbers to evaluate human behavior. However, the metrics are only part of the equation. Metrics often do little to determine the viability of a brand extension because they focus on things that reflect anything but the emotional connections and cultural meanings brands take on.
It is in the face of culture and practice that the quantifiable looses meaning. Take Mini Cooper, for instance. Ten years ago, it was not the market leader. In fact, it was seen as a less than reliable car that cost little – but it was also a beloved reminder of all things quirky about British automobiles and the unpredictability of youth. Its "cool" factor created a cult-like customer following. Add to that the credibility provided by BMW engineering and you get a transformed brand that shifted from an image of being cheap to the status of a sports car.
3. Does the brand promise really deliver?
Brand promise serves as the foundation for everything that the brand does. It also has to be more than a slogan for the customer to believe in the brand. When extending to a new category, a brand promise has to be powerful, realistic and easily articulated.
In this instance the "why" is far more important to address than the "what." Brands promises built around a list of attributes (the "what") have a harder time extending their brand because they provide no direct connection to how the brand impacts a person's life. Brands promises that focus on the people exploring the brand (the "why") are able to gain traction because their meaning can be transferred from one condition to another. It's not the attributes but how the brand positively shapes a range of conditions in daily life.
Returning to Apple, its success has grown because it focused on "why" it built computers. The position moved away from technical specs to how its devices fit into daily life – the computer, the iPod and the iPhone all talk to pleasure, looking cool, etc. Things like quality and RAM are simply givens. This promise Apple makes is both broad and powerful enough to be meaningful in other categories.
4. Does the brand fulfill a unique need?
For beloved brands, expectations are extremely high. It isn't enough to follow a "me too" way of thinking. Getting it right is paramount because extensions not only can fail, but can damage overarching brand equity. Think about Blockbuster's failed attempt at streaming video and mail-order DVD rentals. It was just another service that someone else was already executing beautifully.
Before a brand extension, think about whether it exceeds market expectations or if it's just a "me too" plan. Think about what doesn't exist or isn't being addressed adequately – in other words, rethink the problem and spend a little time reflecting on what is really needed. Think about how you can provide meaning and value.
Coffee Culture in Asia and What It Means to Product Development
Coffee shops are more than places to get a beverage or pick-me-up. Coffee shops play an important role in socializing. They convey a different meaning in the collective psyche than do taverns, restaurants and other places of shared food and drink. From the independent shop to the corporate behemoth, coffee shops provide a space of comfort.
Stepping outside cultures where coffee has been part of the dialog for centuries, the beverage is finding new meaning yet again. Coffee culture is emerging in Asia and it is fascinating. The socio-cultural role the coffee shop plays seems tied to a sense of modernity and international sophistication, not unlike the role of the sushi restaurant found in every town over 250,000 in the US. Like all cultural transferences, it takes on new meaning and new elements of material culture. Almost one third of Chinese for example now consume coffee outside their home. As in many other countries, Asian coffee shops are more about the gathering of friends for a social event than about the coffee itself – the coffee is a facilitator and a symbol of a postmodern world. Add to that the fact that few Chinese households own a coffeemaker and it adds another layer of complexity, both in terms of products and the places coffee is consumed.
Coffee shops are opening rapidly, but many cannot afford the large brewing equipment needed for commercial sales. Some of the roasters are making the brewing equipment available to the specialty houses in return for agreeing to purchase a certain number of pounds each year.
In Indonesia, one of the major coffee exporting countries in the world has a strong and well-established coffee culture. Most of the fresh coffee is consumed by the older generation who has grown up using the product and enjoys the taste. And it's worth noting that coffee is as much an ingredient as it is a drink in and of itself.
So what? It's all very interesting but why does it matter? Because it exemplifies the complexities of developing products and messaging strategies for any product on a global stage. We often work as if our worldview is the starting point, or we forget to look beyond the product to its use and meaning in a broader cultural context.
Linguistic Shortcomings of Social Media Monitoring – notes.
It is difficult to get an accurate reading on how commonly a word is used in a given society. In fact, the task of measuring word frequency fully objectively is inherently impossible. The results will always be affected by the size of the corpus and the choice of the texts entered in it. On a global scale, where words take on subtle new meanings as they are appropriated into the semiotic structure of the actor and thereby changed, the problem becomes even more obvious. Frequency means nothing without cultural context.
This is not to say that frequency isn't important. It is important and revealing. Frequencies are only broadly indicative of cultural salience and they can only be used as one among many sources of information about a society's cultural preoccupations. But measurements only tell part of the story. And when they are decontextualized or proscribed meanings based on the person developing the algorithm that assigns sentiment. They give a potentially false understanding. To be correctly interpreted, figures have to be considered in the context of an in-depth analysis of meanings.
If four thousand people call a product "shitty," it is fair to say that four thousand people reacted negatively to it. But that measurement can't tell us about the culture of those people – are they engineers addressing it from a technological angle? Are they Venezuelan students reacting to a larger political issue? We assume that a word can be easily categorized along a linear trajectory – negative/positive, etc. But this isn't necessarily the case. Words can be studied as focal points around which cultural domains are organized. By exploring these focal points in depth, we may be able to show the general organization principles which lend structure and coherence to a cultural domain as a whole, and which often have an explanatory power extending across multiple domains.
The underlying principle lacking in current social media monitoring processes is allolexy. The term allolexy refers to the fact that the same element of meaning may be expressed in a language in two or more different ways. Just as one word can be associated with multiple meanings, one meaning can often have two or more different lexical exponents. For example, in English, I and me are allolexes of the same primitive concept (In Latin, Ego). Often allolexes of a semantic primitive are in complimentary distribution. So in English, a combination of the semantic primitives someone and all is realized as everyone or everybody. In these particular contexts –one and –body can be seen as allolexes of someone; and –thing can be seen as an allolex of something. This notion of allolexy plays a particularly important role in social media monitoring because it allows us to build inflectional categories. For example, the forms am doing, did, and will do used without temporal adjuncts convey different meanings, but when combined with the temporal adjuncts now, before now, and after now, as in the sentences below, they are in complementary distribution and can be seen as allolexes of the same primitive DO:
- I am doing it now.
- I did it before now.
- I will do it after now.
When we apply an approach derived from an allolexical perspective, we can start to determine where sentences or words "match," semantically, across languages, even though inflectional categories can differ considerably from language to language. In other words, if a word is taken out the process of discourse, it loses meaning and is therefore subject to interpretation that lacks a way of accounting for either semantic variance or semantic stability – it is nothing short of a guess.
In a sense it is true that words have no "fixed" meanings because meanings of words change. But if they were always fluid and without any "true" content, they could not change either. Words do have identifiable, "true" meanings, the precise outlines of which can be established on an empirical basis by studying their range of use and articulating the contexts that subtly repurpose them. The key point is that social media monitoring today does not account for semantic deviation and language as fundamentally tied to discourse.
Resource Flow Analysis: Cool Tools
We often find ourselves talking about symbols and emotions in fieldwork rather than digging into some of the more basic structures of life. How do basic elements of survival interact with and shape world view? How does that influence or shape buying patterns? In an age of what appears to be long-term economic distress, understanding how and why resources move in daily life can shed significant light on how we market and design. So let's take a few minutes to wax nerdy and talk about resource flow analysis.
Traditionally, resource flow analysis has aimed to quantify the flow of resources, in terms of mass, within a defined geographical area or industry sector over a set period of time. What comes in, what goes out, how does it shape behavior and action. But the application of a resource flow analysis model can extend well beyond the industrial setting and be used to better understand daily life. It is yet another marvelous tool to add to the ethnographic tool kit.
The study of the complex issues around how resources are attained, used, repurposed and disposed of within a household or community is called resource flow. In essence, it is a process by which people or companies catalog the purchase journey. Statistically, humans are alone only a small percentage of their lives. We exist in family units, social webs, neighborhoods, work structures and other organizations. All resource input (salary, crops, material goods, other capital) will inevitably be filtered directly or indirectly by multiple individuals, including pets. This is true even for those who live alone, except in extreme cases. For ethnography in a business context, you should rarely concept resource flow in a 1:1 ratio.
Generally speaking, resources can be defined as materials or products. Raw materials are extracted from nature and consumed as they are or combined with other materials to produce finished products. The consumption of materials and products creates waste which can be disposed of or repurposed. Resource flows also identify hidden flows, which are materials extracted from nature but not consumed or incorporated into final materials and products. Therefore, to complete a resource flow analysis of a geographical area it is necessary to qualify: • Household material imports. • Household material production.
• Modes of acquisition.
• Waste disposal and repurposing.
• Hidden income flows.
• Means of attaining capital.
• "Hidden" capital.
• Implicit and explicit users.
• Power structures of use.
• Decision patterns for use and disposal.
A good way to start is to ask an individual in the group to draw representations of those things in the home, office or community that bring in money or goods. Next, have them do the same – but focus on those things that take out money or goods. There will be debate about these representations from other members of the group (in public and in private). The goal is to get people talking about how the process works and the factors influencing it. Make sure to document observations and diagram the resource flow. Try to keep any and all participants actively engaged through discussion and cooperative diagraming.
Creating Place in the Retail Setting
The retail space is an extension of the brand, not simply a place to display merchandise. As brands becomes more focused on shopper marketing, the retail space becomes increasingly relevant in how we think about marketing and design. This means that in addition to the consideration put into the initial design of the space, retailers have to think about the space as a destination, a place of pilgrimage. The goal should be to produce a sense of devotion with shopper by turning the retail environment from a space into a place. Designing around the concept of retail archetypes ultimately streamlines the process. Just as we have archetypes about characters, roles and personalities, we also have archetypes that relate to physical space. An archetype is an ideal example, or a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated. An archetype is a symbol.
At the macro-level, these sensibilities shape cultural expectations about how every environment we interact with should be properly organized. Settings can and do take on a "personality" depending on how they relate to cultural archetypes we posses about a given spatial frame. The visible layout of the space needs to reflect cognitive and cultural frames that allow people to construct and revisit stories in the minds, the goal being to produce strong emotional responses. Products need to be displayed in such a way as to make them visually reverential (e.g. on a pedestal and under directed lighting). Basic touch needs to be elevated to tactile play and experimentation. Events must be incorporated into the retail space, allowing people to ritualize their visits and feel as if they are part of an ongoing, transformational experience. It isn't enough to make the store look inviting and to reflect the brand standards of the company. The retail space needs to become a destination and take on a sense of "place." When used in a retail environment, how space is used impacts how customers interpret what that space is "supposed to" be.
Why It Matters
Creating a façade is easy. It is the basis of most stage productions. But shopping, unlike watching a play, is not a passive at. It involves direct interaction. So it isn't enough to dress the store in a way that is visually appealing. The store needs to encourage interaction and become a destination to which people assign personal meaning. One they do this, it becomes a place and becomes part of the shopper's personal and shared storyline. That leads to loyalty and advocacy. Archetypes help facilitate this by providing a motif around which to create an already understood story, a shared story.
Atmospherics has dominated much of the conversation around retail store design for the last decade. Approach and avoidance theory has focused on psycho-evolutionary principles. Specifically, Mehrabian and Russell propose that individuals' reactions to environments are categorized as either approach or avoidance behaviors, which include four basic dimensions:
1. A desire to remain physically (approach) or to leave (avoid) the environment
2. A desire to explore (approach) the environment as opposed to a tendency to remain inanimate in (avoid) the environment
3. A desire to communicate with (approach) others in the environment versus a tendency to avoid interacting with others
4. Enhancement (approach) of performance and satisfaction of task performances or hindrance (avoidance) of task performances
Environmental psychologists assume that individuals' feelings and emotions ultimately determine their behavior. The problem is that people rarely shop as individuals, even if they are alone. On the surface that may sound confusing, but the point is simple. Human beings are cultural creatures, shaped by shared experience and the unavoidable truth that we are part of a complex system of beliefs and interactions. Atmospherics addresses only the cognitive side of the shopper journey, letting the more powerful cultural drivers fall out of the equation. The Retail Archetype model adds them back in.
From Space to Place
What all of this means is how we interpret space and our physical environment, both public and personal, literal and symbolic, can have a enormous impact on how a brand is perceived.
Clearly, investing in the right location with the right amount of space and the right demographic mix for your target audience is important. Equally, so is the sound, temperature, amount of "clutter," color palette and lighting. But first and foremost, understanding how space becomes a place and thus, a major aspect of brand, begins by defining an environment by its cultural standards. It includes determining rules of interpersonal interaction with the staff. It even involves determining how space will translate in ad collateral.
Place comes into existence when humans give meaning to a part of the larger, undifferentiated space. Any time a location is identified, given a name, or designed to represent a know storyline it is separated from the undefined space that surrounds it. Some places, however, have been given stronger meanings, names or definitions by society than others. These are the socio-spatial archetypes. Dean & Deluca exemplifies this by speaking designing every element of the store (an the visual storyline) to recreate the old world market – the archetype to which it speaks is The Garden.
The sense of place may be strongly enhanced by the setting, or the setting it attempts to project, being written about, being party of stories handed down over time, being portrayed in art or being part of the collective myth. It can be established through modes of codification aimed at preserving or enhancing places and traditions felt to be of value.
Ownership is a key element to converting space to place. Feeling directly invested in the space, the story and the people in an environment allows people to feel directly invested in it. For example, the appropriation of public places by skaters for their stunts and parties allows them to endow an area with meaning. The same can be said for archetypal retail spaces, such as the Apple Store of IKEA.
Collaboration is another key element in establishing a sense of place. Shoppers who are encouraged to interact with others in a non-transactional way or to engage directly with the environment, creating new configurations collectively and dynamically, are more inclined to interpret themselves as part of the storyline. The contextualization of these actions by location provides a deep and varied "interaction space."
Sense of place is a social phenomenon that exists independently of any one individual's perceptions or experiences. Such a feeling may be derived from the natural environment, but is more often made up of a mix of natural and cultural features in the setting, and generally includes the people who occupy the place. In other words, it's about establishing context. And establishing context in a retail setting is much easier if shoppers have an archetypal model from which to work. Considering the number of decisions that are being made at the point of purchase and the sheer number of choices shoppers have, both online and off, creating an environment that brings them back is smart business.
10 "DOs" for the In-Context Interview
For better or for worse, the interview is probably the largest part of the qualitative researcher's job. Learning to do it well is harder than it appears, particularly when it is in context rather than a formal, or even semi-formal, setting. The in-context interview is a lengthy conversation (often 2+ hours) that explores the values, needs, practices, desires, frustrations, and aspirations of our participants. With that in mind, there are some simple tips to remember when conducting an in-context interview. First and foremost, it is a conversation. With that as the guiding principle, remember these points. The conversation should:
- Be long enough to make your participant or participants feel like they are really being heard. This allows them to get past the desire to tell you things they think you want to hear and to move beyond their rehearsed "script."
- Be focused enough so that you feel you are getting useful information to address your business challenge, but general enough so that the conversation can take unexpected turns which lead to unexpected insights.
- Generate a back-and-forth conversation rather than an interrogation. This establishes greater rapport and puts the interviewee at ease.
- Make the interviewee feel that the conversation is about them, not about the product, service, or brand.
- Ask open-ended questions, or questions that require a longer explanation than one word.
- Have a dynamic conversation, don't interview from a script.
- Allow long pauses rather than filling "dead" space. Participants will fill that conversational space for you.
- Be willing to ask naïve questions to hear the explanation in their words – the participant is the expert so let them educate you.
- Don't correct people; understand their perceptions and why they perceive things as they do.
- Know when and when not to "lead." Once rapport is established, it is perfectly reasonable to point out discrepancies in what people say and do (e.g. they say they eat at the dinner table as a family every night, but there is half an inch of dust on the table – ask about this).


text:
We invite you to explore these featured items on the disruptive IT trends. You will learn why they're important, the challenges and opportunities they present for your business, and you'll discover the unique Unisys and industry perspectives on how to exploit these trends for business advantage.
Employees maintain that consumer devices and applications improve their productivity at work. Meet the "Mobile Elite" - a group of early adopters whose work and personal spaces contract into a single tablet, phone or website. In this video, Weston Morris, Portfolio Architect, Unisys Global Managed Services, explains who they are how and how enterprises can leverage them to enhance business value.
Listen to Colin Lacey, VP, Data Center Transformation Services and Solutions and practice director for DCT/Cloud services, talk about the Unisys approach to cloud and how it has evolved.
Listen to Bill Maclean, VP, ClearPath & AB Suite Solution Management, talk about why IT appliances are needed to meet the expectations of the organization.
Listen as Nick Evans, VP & GM, CTO Office, discusses the business benefits of Smart Computing through quicker actions and cost savings.
Listen as Nick Evans, VP & GM, CTO Office, talks about how social computing can be used by businesses as a game changer to generate revenue.
Listen to Terry Hartmann, VP, Global Security Solutions, talk about the need to understand many aspects of mobile technology once you embrace the idea.
Listen to Steve Vinsik, VP, Global Security Solutions, discuss finding the balance between costly cyber threats and the cost of remedying them.
We've just seen such an escalation of [coordinated cyber attacks] over the past year that it's really become something that has been disruptive and that we've had to analyze and understand the ways to protect against that.


text:
Choose the best answer to each question then click the "Check Score" button at the bottom of the page to view your score. Incorrect responses will be displayed red. View explanations and references to each question by following the "Check answer" link. Good luck!
This was first published in March 2007


text:
member of an ancient Roman class of magisterial attendants, probably Etruscan in origin and dating in Rome from the regal period. Lictors carried the fasces for their magistrate and were constantly in his attendance in public; they cleared his way in crowds and summoned and punished offenders for him. They also served as their magistrate's house guard. In Rome the lictors wore togas; during a consul's triumph or while outside Rome they wore scarlet coats
Learn more about lictor with a free trial on Britannica.com.


text:
Teaser Trailer For David Cronenberg's COSMOPOLIS With Robert Pattinson
March 22nd, 2012 by Graham McMorrow
A teaser trailer has arrived for David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis, and it's insane. Robert Pattinson looks like he's ready to get out of the Twilight and romantic roles that have defined him thus far in his career, what I'm saying is he shoots himself in the hand in this trailer – so watch it.
The film is based on the novel by Don DeLillo, it stars Sarah Gadon, Kevin Durand, Jay Baruchel, Samantha Morton, Juliette Binoche, Paul Giamatti, and Mathieu Amalric. There isn't a release date yet but we hope to share one with an official trailer soon.
Tags: Cosmopolis, David Cronenberg, robert pattinson, Teaser Trailer, trailer


text:
- Locations
- About Us
- Bestsellers
- Books Inc. Bestsellers
- Indie Bestsellers
- Award Winners
- Agatha Award
- Anthony Awards
- Caldecott Medal
- Edgar Allen Poe Award
- Hugo Award
- Indies Choice Award
- James Beard Foundation
- Lambda Literary Award
- Man Booker Prize
- National Book Awards
- National Book Critics Circle
- Nebula Award
- Newberry Award
- Nobel Prize for Literature
- PEN/Faulkner Award
- PEN/Hemingway Foundation
- Pulitzer Prizes
- Triangle Awards
- Indie Next
- Recently Reviewed
- Book Clubs
- Thinking Parents' Book Group
- Classics I Forgot To Read
- Big Yes Society
- 4th Tuesday Book Club
- Silicon Valley Reads 2013
- The Cooks & Books Book Club
- B.G.P Social Network
- Big Yes Society Discussion
- Broken Compass Adventure
- Central SF Classic Lit
- Cooks and Books
- Desert Island Book Club
- First Saturday Book Club
- Hands On Bay Area
- Healthy Lives: The Book Club
- The Hungry Bookseller
- The Intimates: East Bay Queer Book Club
- LitVoyeur (Online)
- Neptune Garden Book Club
- Night of the Living Book Club
- Politically Inspired Book Club
- Recommended by a Stranger
- SF LGBT/Books Inc.
- SF Travel Book Club
- Women We'd Like To Lunch With
- World Affairs Council
- Not Your Mother's ACTUAL Book Club
- One City One Book
- Second Saturday
- Young@Heart Book Club
- Calendar of Events
- Classes
- Endorse Reading
- Kid Stuff
- Newsletter
- Schools
- Teen
- Browse
The Haunting of Charles Dickens (eBook)
The Haunting of Charles Dickens (eBook)
Meg Pickel's older brother, Orion, has disappeared. One night, she steals out to look for him, and makes two surprising discoveries: She stumbles upon a séance that she suspects involves Orion, and she meets the author Charles Dickens, also unable to sleep, and roaming the London streets. He is a customer of Meg's father, who owns a print shop, and a family friend. Mr. Dickens fears that the children of London aren't safe, and is trying to solve the mystery of so many disappearances. If he can, then perhaps he'll be able to write once again.
With stunning black-and-white illustrations by Greg Ruth, here is a literary mystery that celebrates the power of books, and brings to life one of the world's best-loved authors.
About the Author
LEWIS BUZBEE is the author of Steinbeck's Ghost and several books for adults, including The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop. A former bookseller, he lives in San Francisco with his wife and daughter.
Praise for The Haunting of Charles Dickens…
Praise for The Haunting of Charles Dickens:
Nominated for the 2011 Edgar Allan Poe Award (Best Juvenile)
"Ruth's delightful black-and-white drawings add atmosphere and interest. If historical mystery fans are not quite up for Philip Pullman's Ruby in the Smoke or Eleanor Updale's Montmorency [series], this book could be a good way to work up to them." —School Library Journal
"Deliciously elaborate . . . The sights, sounds and stenches of 19th-century London are palpable even without the moody black-and-white illustrations." —Kirkus Reviews
"A rollicking good historical mystery, written in Dickens' style and illustrated with appealing line drawings, which include a subtle tip of the hat to a more contemporary London that a few YA readers may catch." —Booklist
"A charming and gripping tale . . . Buzbee creates solid characters (and certainly has fun naming them, as did Dickens) and an authentic flavor of Dickensian London, enhanced by Ruth's striking and evocative black and white drawings . . . while addressing issues of feminism, the search for identity, and child abuse." —Publishers Weekly
"[A] seriously good book . . . Buzbee draws a realistic vivid picture of 19th century London and manages to capture the 'feel' of a Dickens book. . . . The importance of the written word, the printed word, and the authors behind them shines through in this novel." —Goddess Librarian (goddesslibrarian.blogspot.com)
"A reader doesn't expect a novel about the haunting of a long dead author to be lyrical but that is the case with The Haunting of Charles Dickens. . . a great teen read."—Ginny, BrodartVibe's Blog
Praise for Steinbeck's Ghost:
A Smithsonian Notable Book for Children
Northern California Book Award Nominee
Northern California Independent Booksellers' Association Children's Book of the Year Winner
California Library Association's John and Patricia Beatty Award
"The themes of valuing friendship, managing adults who have lost their priorities, and connecting people through stories will appeal to kids who have found their own magic in the library." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"The story remains an intriguing introduction/companion to Steinbeck's works and imaginatively conveys the power of literature to transport people to another time and place." —Publishers Weekly
"Buzbee's love for literature and libraries is infectious and, for those similarly inclined, deeply satisfying." —Booklist
"Magical realism with Steinbeck's ghost and a discerning young hero." —Kirkus Reviews


text:
As Hurricane Sandy strengthens, thousands of East Meadow residents have power outages.
According to the LIPA website, as of 5:30 p.m., 2,403 customers are now without power.
To report an outage to LIPA, call 1-800-490-0075 or text 'REG' to 695472 (myLIPA) and then 'OUT.' For more important emergency contacts, tips and links, click here.
In a statement released Sunday, LIPA told customers to expect heavy rain, flooding, and winds in excess of 50 miles per hour through the night that are likely to cause trees and branches to pull down power lines. The company urged customers to "prepare and plan for power outages, which based on the current track could last between 7 to 10 days."
"Hurricane Sandy remains a threat to Long Island and its effects are already being felt and are expected to worsen throughout the day on Monday," read the release. "LIPA is prepared, our emergency restoration crews are ready, and extra crews and equipment are being mobilized."
However, the company did warn customers that during periods of dangerous storm conditions, its ability to respond to power outages and provide information about when power will be restored will be limited, adding, "while we will restore power to the maximum extent possible, the safety of the public and our workforce is the highest priority."
The utility company also reminded customers to:
- Never touch or go near fallen wires, even if you think they are safe. Parents can use this opportunity to remind children that wires are dangerous. If you are in a vehicle that comes in contact with a downed wire, stay in your vehicle until help arrives.
- Make sure you have a working, battery powered radio or TV and a good supply of fresh replacement batteries.
- Have flashlights available for all family members.
- If an electric pump supplies your water, fill spare food-grade containers with water for cooking and washing in anticipation of a possible power interruption.
- Make sure all motor driven equipment, such as garage door openers, can be operated manually.
- When using a portable generator, make sure all LIPA-powered equipment is disconnected. This will avoid severe hazards when reconnecting the power to your home or business.
- Have a first aid kit at home and check its contents to make sure they are complete and up to date. If you have family members with special medical needs, such as insulin or other prescription drugs, check to make sure you have an adequate supply.
- Do not use charcoal to cook indoors; deadly carbon monoxide gas can accumulate in your home.
- If you have an elderly neighbor, be a Good Samaritan and check on his or her status. Even a quick telephone call during a storm can provide much appreciated assurance that help is nearby if needed.
- Should an electric power interruption occur, all sensitive equipment, such as computers and TVs should be disconnected until service is restored
- While LIPA does not provide generators to customers, if you have a generator we remind you to use it safely.
Tara Conry contributed to this report.


text:
|adaptive radiation
|evolution of a number of divergent species from a common ancestor, each species becoming adapted to occupy a different environment. This type of evolution occurred in the Tertiary manuals and the Mesozoic reptiles
|adaptive radiation (ə-dāp'tĭv) Pronunciation Key
The evolutionary diversification of a species or single ancestral lineage into various forms that are each adaptively specialized to a specific environmental niche. Adaptive radiation generally proceeds most rapidly in environments where there are numerous unoccupied niches or where competition for resources is minimal. See Note at adaptation.
adaptive radiation
evolution of an animal or plant group into a wide variety of types adapted to specialized modes of life. A striking example is the radiation, beginning in the Tertiary period (beginning 66.4 million years ago), of basal mammalian stock into forms adapted to running, leaping, climbing, swimming, and flying.
Learn more about adaptive radiation with a free trial on Britannica.com.


text:
Marine Architects Job Description
Search the web's premier compensation data source
Marine Architects
The following job description describes the common responsibilities for this occupation.
Job Description
Design and oversee construction and repair of marine craft and floating structures such as ships, barges, tugs, dredges, submarines, torpedoes, floats, and buoys. May confer with marine engineers.
Similar Job Titles
Job Listings
About PayScale Job Descriptions
PayScale Job Descriptions currently cover the top 1000 occupational categories, related job titles and a list of tasks and responsibilities for each title as defined in U.S. government data.
Can't find a description that matches your job? We are working to bring you common industry job descriptions for over 14,000 jobs. Bookmark the PayScale Research Center and check back soon.
More from PayScale


text:
House fire
HOUSTON— Community activist John Branch had his Houston home catch on fire for the second time in less than six months, family members said late Wednesday.
After three decades of patrolling the streets of his northwest Houston neighborhood on Thursday he said it could be the last time.
"It could be," said Branch. "I'm definitely going have to take a break."
He was forced to take a break after the overnight fire that ravaged the home he's lived in since childhood.
It was the second blaze in six months at the home.
Branch said his barking dogs kept everyone inside alive.
"Because we had no idea the fire had gotten out of control like this until they woke us up," he said.
Investigators believe the cause of both fires was electrical.
Branch fights crime in his neighborhood by going on watch patrol.
He has no homeowners insurance and said caring for his family is now his top priority.
"It's kind of like a boxing match. You get hit once or twice and you get knocked down. It's kind of hard to get up sometimes," he said.
But some of Branch's neighbors were upset to find out Branch might not be on patrol anymore.
Essie Stephens is 94 years old.
"I hope that's not the case," she said. "I depend on John whenever I'm in trouble."
Branch and his family currently have no place to live.
He said he was leaning on God to help see them through.


text:
Educators in Action is a blog for educators, by educators. If you'd like to share your experiences with us or know
of a great blog you'd like to share, contact Digital Media Coordinator Brian Jenkins.
A couple of years ago, our department of education began to fervently
push ahead for Career Pathways. At the time, my program, Advanced Life
Science: Animals and Veterinary Assisting, fell under the general
heading of health careers. With the pathway they proposed, my program
would only be offered as a one-year program for seniors. This was very
disturbing to me since I had built my program as a two-year program. To
be under the heading of health careers would essentially cut my
enrollment in half, do away with my dual credit with Purdue University
and prevent any certification for lack of contact hours in the field.
Posted by Application Administrator at 6/17/2013 4:39:32 PM
Log In
Renew · Learn About Membership
Divisions · Regions · State Associations