text:
Good morning!
We had a busy weekend – and enjoyed a quick getaway down at Skamania Lodge, near Portland, Oregon. We visited the FREE Bonneville Fish Hatchery on Saturday and then went to the Oregon Zoo (Portland) on Sunday as it was a rare FREE admission day there, too!
We also went on a nature
hike walk with the kids and incorporated a scavenger hunt into it – also FREE. We had a lot of fun, enjoyed some fresh air and we loved that all our activities were free. Stay tuned – I plan to share about the fish hatchery, zoo and Skamania Lodge. . . I just *might* be giving away something, too.
This upcoming weekend will be a whopping four day weekend for us. Instead of doing anything remotely fun – we have big plans for cleaning/organizing the garage. I'm going to share more about this undertaking later today. Let's just say I have big expectations for decluttering and organizing this week – I'm calling it One Week to Clean. Let's hope I can do it.
TODAY is the last day to enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card!
$1 off 1 Hormel Refrigerated Entree
$1 off LLOYD'S Barbeque product
$1 off 2 Hormel Pepperoni packages
$1 off Hormel Always Tender meat
$1 off Hormel Country Crock Side dish
$1 off 2 Hormel Pepperoni packages
$1 off any 1 Listerine Mouthwash 1L or larger
$5 off Fisher-Price Poppity-Pop Musical Dino
$10 off Laugh & Learn Stride-to-Ride Puppy
$3 off any Fisher-Price Giggle Gang
$10 off Fun With Friends™ Musical Table
$5 off Laugh & Learn Love to Play Puppy
Find more printable coupons on Coupons.com.
$1.50 off any Emergen-C® Drink Mix (10ct or 30ct size)
$0.50 off any two (2) McCormick® Perfect Pinch® Seasoning Blends
$1 on any Advil® Congestion Relief, Advil® Allergy & Congestion Relief, Advil® Cold & Sinus or Advil Allergy Sinus Product
$1 on any Children's Advil® product
$1 off any Children's Dimetapp® product
$1 off any Sundown Naturals® product
$1 on any Robitussin® product
Through this evening only, subscribe to Vegetarian Times Magazine for only $5.49 per year (54% off)! You can order up to four (4) years at this price! Just enter coupon code QUEENBEE at checkout. Even if you aren't a vegetarian this magazine is filled with great recipes! We have at least a couple meatless dinner nights a week to help stretch our budget. This offer expires at tonight at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Did you hit up Albertsons yet for the doubler deals? It's a big week for the deals – I'd love to hear if you found some great bargains.
Here are this week's grocery match-ups and deals: Albertsons Fred Meyer QFC Safeway Winco and the Costco February coupon book!
What's on your menu plan this week?
{photo credit: NW Flower and Garden Show}
NEXT week is the Northwest Flower and Garden Show at the Seattle Convention Center from February 20 – 24! I really want to go – it looks amazing. Have you been before? I'd love to hear what you think about it! I'll watch for a coupon and post one if I find it.
Currently over on Snique Away (TripAdvisor daily deal site) you can get a one-night stay at the Resort at the Mountain (Welches, Oregon) starting at only $89 a night! Read my review of the Resort on the Mountain here.
Depoe Bay, OR – The Harbor Lights Inn – One- or Two-Night Stay for Two in an Ensign's Quarters or Captain's Quarters Room. Combine Up to Four Nights - Start at $89
Greater Portland, OR – The Orenco Hotel – One- or Two-Night Stay for Two in a Manor Queen Room with Wine Tastings, Valid for Check-In Thursday–Sunday – Starts at $99
Warm Springs, OR – Kah-Nee-Ta Resort & Spa – One- or Two-Night Stay for Two with Pool
REI Deal of the Day – Merrell Lithe Glove Cross-Training Shoes – Women's– $59.93 (reg. $125), ships FREE
Joe's New Balance Outlet deal of the day are these Men's Running New Balance 580 for only $27.99, down from $69.99. Shipping is $5.95.
6pm.com sales that started today:
Women's Casual Lifestyle Shoe up to 75% off! (2/11 – 2/13)
Clarks up to 65% off! (2/11 – 2/13)
MIA up to 70% off! (2/11 – 2/13)
Converse up to 55% off! (2/11 – 2/13)
Naturalizer, Naya, Tsubo up to 75% off! (2/11 – 2/13)
Creative Recreation, Converse, PUMA and more up to 70% off! (2/11 – 2/13)
The Amazon Deal of the Day today is Up to 60% Off Heart Pendants with FREE One-Day Shipping
Xbox LIVE 12 Month Gold Membership - $39.99 (from $59.99)
The Pirates! Band of Misfits - $10.99 (reg. $19.99)
What are your plans today? I hope you have a wonderful day!


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I am open to discussion of our nationalized healthcare. I do have opinions about the high cost of healthcare, and am open to have facts layed at my feet that may prove me wrong.
I tend to believe that healthcare costs too much, and that PERHAPS, the equipment used to provide excellent healthcare, should POSSIBLY be included in the area of government manufacture control and regulation which would, in turn, lower costs associated with having to pay for that equipment.
Our healthcare system can be described much like our system of capitalism and republic form of Government. It may not be perfect, but it is the best in the world.
I pray that I am never faced with the loss of a loved one due to lack of funds.
Hard choices are a fact of life. I can only say that healthcare is an on-going debate where I am prepared to listen, and take part in a solution that is right for America's prosperity.
Please see my "Main Concerns...." page for info on Memorial Hospital

subset: commoncrawl


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279 comments found
Hi, I'm deciding whether to purchase your nextgen template or the plugin version. I would prefer the plugin as i am more comfortable using this than making changes in code. however, I am using nextgen to manage all of my images. Can you please advise whether I can use the plugin version with nextgen (as opposed to wp media gallery) or if I need to use the nextgen template version? Thanks for your help!
You can use the plugin version with nextgen.
The support team will get to you ASAP.
Does this plugin have the option for captions?
Also … what will the slider do with images that are smaller than the max width and height? Will they be stretched or will then just display at their max size? i.e. if the gallery id 600px by 300px and one image happens to be 200px by 200px
Yes the plugin has captions. And if the image is smaller it will stretch it.
I have been more than happy with the gallery so far. However, I recently noticed that sometimes the gallery disappears. I have ready your FAQ section and it says that I shall add the following to the theme:
if (!wp_script_is('jquery', 'queue')){
Please let me know exactly where should this be added. In my functions.php file or where?
Thanks in advance!
Please send us a link to the gallery on hour Support Forum. It is possible we will need FTP access this is why we should continue there.
Thank you
I recently bought the plugin "Thumbnail Gallery (WP NextGEN Gallery Template)". I have emailed support but haven't heard back in a few days so I thought I'd put the word out here too.
It is not working properly. It seems to display every time I do some change in the gallery settings (that's a guess) and then when I refresh the page, it doesn't show again.. I know how to use firebug a bit and I see the plugin code in the window and I see that the elements are there (they all have: style="display: none;" ) but I don't know how to figure out what the actual problem is.
I put the folder into both theme and child-theme folders (as requested by the instructions). I am also very new to NextGen. I looked into the FAQ in the documentation and I worked on it all except the jquery thing (which I am not too familiar with). I have tried using the default twenty thirteen theme and also tried deactivating other plugins.
I appreciate any suggestions and help.http://www.grantarchitecturestudio.com/projects/complete/completed-project-1/
We see the problem witht the NextGEN Gallery Template. Please send us FTP login info on our Support Forums. You can send a private reply and we can check there. It seems like an incompatibility with the theme but we need to add some track code to make sure.
Hello, I have been waiting for two weeks now to hear back from you guys. Did you not get my message? I've been back and forth with the Envato team in the meantime and they keep asking me to get in touch with you guys.
I'm sorry for the delay. I will ask the Support Team what happened. We will have this sorted out ASAP.
Thank you
The NextGEN Gallery seems to be working … in the jQuery versions the paths are incorrect.
Please remove the jQuery version from your theme. We will have NextGEN fixed asap and I think is better you use it.
Thank you
Ok, I'll do that now, thanks! By the way, I did send a private email with my ftp info and all, not sure if you got that. In case you need to go in and figure out what's happening.
It is better to add it on our Support Forums. We usually don't answer emails.
Thank you
Would that be public then? Do you still need my ftp btw or do you see what's wrong with it just by looking on the page? If you still need it, I can post it, but I just want to make sure it's not visible to everyone logged in.
You have the possibility to add sensitive info it in a private reply.
From what we can see the files for the NextGEN template don't load. Are you using a child theme?
Thank you
I removed the jquery plugin, I'll wait to hear back about NextGEN. Thanks again!
I am using a child theme, yes. I have the plugin folder in the parent theme. I have tried having it both in parent and child folders before and the problem was still happening. Should I try putting it in both?
Remove file requests from header.php also.
Copy the files in child theme also.
Right, that was in my functions file. I think it should all be cleared up (except the page that loads the gallery)
Copied the files into child
Thank you
Please send us FTP info … we need to add some track codes.
Thank you
I logged in, and I went to the nextgen area to post a topic, I'm there about to post it, is there a button or something to make the posting "private" or "protected"?
You create the topic, and after you have the possibility to create private replies.
Thank you, I notified the support team and will answer shortly.
So should I just continue the conversation there? Thanks for your help. And do you think they'll work on it in the next hour? Should I stick around in case they have any questions?
Yes … you should continue the conversion there and should be done in the next hour.
Ah sweet! Many thanks!
I think the problem is solved now.
Yah, looks like it is. thanks so much for helping out. I have a question now, how easy is it to get the plugin to look like that link that I sent you? Mainly what I like about it is that the thumbnails hover right above the edge of the browser and the photos are locked in at the top of the page?.
Which one?
This one, I think this was the jquery plugin example: http://dopdemo.net/previews/?item=thumbnail-gallery-jquery-plugin-example2
I can tweak it tomorrow, getting late here so I won't work on it now, but if it's possible and it's just a matter of tweaking the parameters, I'm sure I can get there. If it's not possible, let me know. If yes, if you have any pointers, that would be great!
I'm don't think the NextGEN template has a liquid layout. Try to set width and height to 100%.
Hmm, that's too bad. Ok, thanks, I'll play around with it. Would be a great update..
yes … we intend to add this in the next update.
cool, great, will I get an email about it? Anytime soon?
I'm checking out too, thanks again for all the help.
Yes you should be notified … glad we could help.
HI I am confused about a couple of things now that things are running. The gallery is showing "no page found" once I started editing stuff.
When I am in the Gallery Settings for thumbnail, which gallery should I choose from the drop-down menu? The one in the child or the parent theme? And then, I guess I should edit the gallery values in the corresponding file? Or should I edit it in both child and parent files?
Furthermore, I would like to make the width of the gallery 100%, will that work if I put % in?
Just wanted to check in again, I'm not able to change any of the parameters by editing the "gallery-dop-thumbnail-gallery" file. I've tried editing both the child and the parent file.
I thought I'd check in one more time.
I'm sorry for the late response. The Forum's Support Team said they didn't had time to answer everybody. because with the holidays, but they will resolve all topics by tomorrow.
Thank you
Great thanks!
... I will pressure them to answer faster.
Hi I still haven't heard from anyone
I had to temporarily set up another gallery because the client had been waiting for a month. BUt I would still like to have a functioning version of this galery
Can you please send me a link to the topic. I see all threads answered. By the way we were able to duplicate the exact same error you were having and we submitted the update. It will be available shortly on CodeCanyon.
Thank you
Please download the latest files from CodeCanyon. If you still have problems please use our Support Forums.
Thank you
Will do, thanks!
Thank you
I just installed your plugin on a site i am working on and the gallery came up at first but after refreshing a few times it won't show up anymore. I looked at the FAQ and saw I might need to add the lines:
if (!wp_script_is('jquery', 'queue')){ wp_enqueue_script('jquery'); }
the documentation doesn't say where to add those. I can email you access to my site if you would like to take a look at it.
Thanks, Ulises
Please contact us on our Support Forums to send us private informations from the server where you use the nextgen gallery.
Thank you
Hi I am thinking of buying a new gallery plugin as the one I have bought is not working as I am expecting but I have the following questions please: 1- Do you allow to have the gallery placed in any folder dreely or it must be placed in wp-contents/uploads? 2- Can the Gplugin adds automatically any image recently added to the folder or I need to add that manually? 3- Can I hide the images in the .tmb and .quarantine directory? 4- Was it tested with postgres db?
This thumbnail gallery is a template for NextGEN Gallery plugin. Your questions are for the plugin, but you can download and test it first.
Thank you
Hi there
I have added the nngallery folder to my theme. Added the shortcode to my page.
When I view it the first time it appears but if I refresh it disappears again. The only way I can get it to work is by adding a standard Nextgen gallery to the same page underneath and then both loads.
I presume it has something to do with the loading of the nextgen script.
Can you please help me? I have the lastest version of the files.
Please contact us on our Support Forums and send us admin & FTP login info in a private reply. It is a strange issue.
Thank you
This template works also with Nextgen 1.9.13 ?
Can I buy the plugin version and use it as a template in nextgen ?
Thanks in advance.
Best Regards, D.
Yes, it should work perfect with older versions, but we recently got a comment it doesn't but we couldn't duplicate the problem. We did not had any problems.
Thank you
hello, very nice plugin. can i make gallery just in thumbnails (without preview) using your plugin
Why don't you try the Thumbnail Scroller instead of the gallery?
Thank you
I have WP nextgen (free). I like that I can expand the images into a lightbox gallery using the expander icon. Is there anyway to trigger the lightbox by clicking the image itself instead of the icon?
This is not possible with the current version of the gallery. The modification is small but you will need some basic knowledge of jQuery to do it.
Thank you
I'm thinking of buying your pluging but have a few questions: 1. Can i also display the thumbnails on the right side vertically? 2. Can i use different image sizes in on1 slideshow (portrait/landscape and scuare) 3. can i protect the images form downloading? 4. can i add a number or title to an image?
Thanks, Peter
1. Yes this is possible.
2. Yes this is also possible.
3. No this is not possible, but the script you will need to be used on the website.
4. I think this is possible with the current version of the gallery.
Thank you
Hi Pre Buyer Question
How much photos can be in a gallery max?
The number of images supported is unlimited.
Thank you
hola, sorry to write here but i cant get to the support forum: after signing in i put my envato item purchased code BUT i was noticed "Sorry, this Envato Item Purchase Code is already being used on the forum!" what with this? thanks for a hint.
What user are you using?
Thank you
hola dotonpaper, i use oeoe user name, i dont have any other …
Please send us a PM with the purchase code. Have you bought the item with another user?
Thank you
nope. i bought the theme for myself only … ok, morein PM … thanks!
I didn't receive the PM. You bought the template with a theme?
Thank you
sorry, i meant nextgen gallery theme plugin … i sent message to email@example.com email 10min ago, is that email address correct?
Please send it on our profile page. We do not use Zendesk anymore.
Thank you
ok, thanks … sent
How do I do to remove caption of image?
You will need to remove the description text in NextGEN administration area. If you want to remove it completely from our template please contact us on our Support Forums so that we can modify the code for you.
Thank you
How do we get the AddThis integration to work? We have the AddThis Share plugin installed, and have an account, but clicking on the Share button on an image does nothing. Are we supposed to add something into the additional options?
Please contact us on our Support Forums so we can debug the problem, if any. Once you click the share button, if enabled, a popup with a list of share options will appear.
Thank you
Before going though the Support Forum can you share what the actual setup should be to make sure that everything is enabled correctly?
Hello,In the template file you need to have:
"SocialShareEnabled": "true"
Thank you
Sorry a Firefox extension was blocking the AddThis functionality. It has been fixed.
I'm glad you found the problem. Please take a few seconds to rate the item here.
Thank you
We've decided to pursue another sharing option. I have changed line 147 to "SocialShareEnabled": "false", and purged the AddThis plugin. However, the button still appears on our images with the AddThis drop down. I've cleared my cache on both IE and Firefox and it still appears. How do we remove the button completely?
Also, how do we remove the text and grey box at the bottom of the images?
Please see http://test.arts-festival.com/artists/ceramics/sangjoon-park
Disregard. Even with clearing the cache and reloading several times it took a while to disappear, but the share button is gone. We've also found removing the Alt & Title Text / Description text removes the caption.
Please try to use our Support Forums. It is easier to pass information there and you will receive a faster answer.
Thank you
Hi, i'm looking for more informative documentation about each of the parameters that can be manged. the basic documentation you provided feel like not enough for me (and not always behave as expected…) do you have anything more than the basic? thx in advance
I'm sorry but that is the only documentation we have. What are you trying to achieve.
Thank you
Hi, is it compatible with NextGEN Gallery 2?
Yes the gallery it is compatible.
Thank you
the plugin has the option to show captions also in the lightbox?
Im very interesting in this feature
I'm sorry but the gallery does not have this feature yet.
Thank you


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VINELAND -- Police are investigating what caused a driver to pull his car through the front doors of a Metro PCS store.
It happened Wednesday afternoon. Witnesses at nearby stores say they saw the driver coming off of Delsea drive towards the store. After feeling the building shake, they say they went outside to find that the car and driver had gone through the front door.
Glass covered the ground in front of the store where the car broke through.
The driver did not appear to have sustained any injuries. He told witnesses on scene that he "blacked out" and can't remember how the crash happened.
Evangelist Franklin Graham prayed on a sidewalk outside the Pentagon Thursday after his invitation to a prayer service inside was withdrawn because of comments that insulted people of other religions. More>>


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So, since I will be away for the remainder of English Class this week, some reminders:
Your orals presentations will take place on October 4th in class. Please check the assignment sheet carefully on the English Site.
For the essay task, you may choose from Question 2 or 6 on the task sheet. Please spend no more then 90 minutes completing this task for HW this week.


text:
50 years after it opened, tonight a new grand opening for Hancock Stadium. The ISU Redbirds showing off the $26 million renovations to their football home.
Top Stories in College
September 18, 2013
Hancock Stadium is re-dedicated
September 19, 2013 Updated Sep 19, 2013 at 9:20 AM CDT
To submit a comment on this article, your email address is required. We respect your privacy and your email will not be visible to others nor will it be added to any email lists.


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It's that time of year again. When we at the Press are scrambling to get books ready for the International Conference & Exposition, and somehow all of that content seems to run together into a big blur. So what I am working on that you can expect to see in Orlando?
First off, we've got the revised edition of Consulting on the Inside by Beverly Scott and B. Kim Barnes coming out in the beginning of March. In her endorsement, Elaine Biech says, "Expecting nothing but excellence from these two master consultants, I was not disappointed to see new models and valuable concepts intertwined with many of the practical tools such as sample contracts, agendas, team charters, and others from the first edition. Bev and Kim ensure your success from helping you define your internal consulting role, to overcoming the most common challenges, through ensuring successful implementation. They do this with the practical ease of consultants who really know their business. Consulting on the Inside sits obligingly on my bookshelf within easy reach at all times." In other words, this book is packed with tools and information; moreover, the authors have provided a wealth of web appendixes, which will be made available in a few weeks. I will be sure to post a blog when the webpage is up and running.
Next is another revision. This time of ASTD Press's most popular book of all time: Telling Ain't Training. Authors Harold Stolovitch and Erica Keeps have revised and expanded this treasure while maintaining the relaxed voice and research-based content of the original. You can expect to see that one sometime in early May.
Rita Smith, vice president of enterprise learning for Ingersoll Rand, has written Strategic Learning Alignment, which provides a model that provides clear explanations of how executives in organizations speak and what they want, which will help leaders of learning organizations to communicate their value, get recognition, and make a difference. The book will be out in early May.
Last, but not least, I am working on a contributed volume called The Executive Guide to Integrated Talent Management. Edited by Pat Galagan and Kevin Oakes, the book features 17 chapters written by "gurus" and practitioners that will take you inside the concept and practice of integrated talent management. Topics covered include an overview of integrated talent management; recruiting; compensation and rewards; performance management; succession management; engagement and retention; leadership development; as well as section on pulling it all together. This book will also be available in May.
Of course, I am not the only person working on books at the Press. Ashley McDonald, who came on board only a few months ago, is working on a revision of ISD From the Ground Up by Chuck Hodell and 10 Steps to Successful Change Management by George Vukotich, both of which will be available at ASTD's International Conference and Exposition in May. And you show up to the conference, don't forget to stop by the store and say hi! I'll be there!
Tags: ASTD Press, books, book, Press, consulting, consulting on the inside, bev scott, scott, b. kim barnes, barnes, telling ain't training, stolovitch, keeps, rita smith, strategic learning alignment, talent management, pat galagan, galagan, kevin oakes, oakes, integrated talent management, executive guide to talent management
Categories: Celebrity Bloggers
IncMagazine just tweeted an article about how to manage managers that provides some guidelines for ensuring that the people you hire are helping you to grow your business. The article outlines these steps for managing managers:
In the last couple of years, ASTD Press has published a variety of books with guidelines for becoming a better manager, including
To browse the ASTD Press collection of management titles, click here.
Tags: manager, ASTD Press, books, book, management, management development, IncMagazine, savvy manager, 10 steps, middle manager
So I started trying to capture some of what was coming out of ASTD TechKnowledge 2011 Conference and Exposition on Twitter yesterday, but so much is happening that I ran out of time. Here's some more information to report from there (for more collections of backchannel info, check out Misadventures in Learning):
Actually, just a general reading of the Twitter feed illustrates different ways that it can be used. A lot of people obviously signed up for Twitter for the first time and started asking questions about how to use it. @stevier and @TerrenceWing, obviously long time users of Twitter, explained that you have to use Twitter to really understand its value and arrranged a Tweetup at a nearby bar. @TerrenceWing and @ASTD pointed to The ASTD TechKnowledge Daily, an online newspaper reporting what's going on every day at TK11. Some folks missed meet to eat, so they made other arrangements. And a lot of people who weren't able to make it to the conference commented that they were glad to be able to get in some of the action through Twitter. So there are a few things you can get from Twitter: basically live reports of the action, opportunities to meet virtually and in reality with people, and tons of information from multiple sources.
And that's going to be it for what's going on at TK (at least as viewed through Twitter) for today, but I will get back with some more summaries and comments on Monday! Have a great weekend, and safe travels to all conference attendees! Oh, and I almost forgot, for those of you who want more or weren't able to make to the conference, all is not lost! You can still sign up for the Virtual Conference!
Tags: #TK11, TK, TechKnowledge, Twitter, Michael Allen, Allen, Leaving ADDIE Behind, Marc Rosenberg, Rosenberg, knowledge management, Web 2.0, Anders Gronstedt, Gronstedt, games, social media, vitural worlds, virtual conference
Categories: Celebrity Bloggers | TechKnowledge
Apple has done a brilliant job of disguising a learning center as a technology store. The room is full of motivated learners who really want to be there. The lighting is excellent and every display is designed to teach you about Apple technology.
Most of the trainers (Apple calls them specialists) are speaking with learners about how to solve a problem. If the learner's technology is not the right tool to solve the learner's problem, the specialist will present different options that may, but may not, involve another purchase.
While you are in the store, stop and listen to the conversations. Customers bring teachable moments into the store with them, and you can hear these skilled teachers sparkle. Notice how many learning styles and personality types are addressed.
Consult a Genius
When a problem is too difficult for a specialist, Apple has a crew of Geniuses. The Genius Label is emblazoned on their blue shirts, and their business card identifies them as Geniuses.
You have to make an appointment to even speak to a Genius. By the time of my appointment, I was in awe. I had asked a mere specialist if he aspired to be a Genius. "Of course," he said, "they do all this learning, get certifications, and really know what they are doing."
What About the Children?
The other evening, all ages were in the Apple Store. A two-year-old sat on the floor exploring colors and sounds on a Mac loaded with software appropriate for her age. Some teens were listening to music while others manipulated iPhones or iPads.
Apple is teaching the youngest among us to be future customers, and that, my colleagues, is leveraging the real power of training.
*There are no paid endorsements in this posting.
Mick Mortlock
Tags: Apple Stores, Learning Labs, Geniuses, teachers, teaching, training
Intel's early work in eTraining, at least for the personal computer, was foundational and laid the basis for almost all contemporary eLearning. Animation, simulations, audio, text and images were part of our earliest thinking. Digital video was added shortly thereafter. But what about the instructional design?
Almost thirty years ago, I formed the Intel Hypermind User's Group to marry incredible technology with the principles of learning. Members of the iHUG eventually became affiliates of the "Inventing the Future" program, named in honor of Stewart Brand's label for what was happening in the MIT Media Lab.
We knew that Alan Turing had developed a test for computer "intelligence." He said, put a computer in one room, a human in a second, and a researcher in a third and hook them all up so they can engage in dialogue. If the researcher asks a question and cannot tell whether he is communicating with the human or the computer that computer would be designated as intelligent. That computer will have passed the Turing Test.
While exploring Turing's work, we came up with a Turing Test for eLearning. Using similar ideas, we proposed "when a person can learn from a computer as well as they would learn from an expert teacher who is also a subject matter expert, then that eLearning would have been successful." I argued strongly that there needed to be a standard like this to help establish legitimacy and to give us something to shoot for in developing this new field. As brilliant as it seemed, this idea was ignored in the corporate world, and largely ignored within Intel. Now after 30 years of working on this problem, I believe I was wrong.
There are two projects that convinced me. I did some work with Jerry Spriggs, an Instructional Design manager at HP. His group developed scenarios and built eLearning applications to demonstrate them. Sometimes the scenarios were straight forward, sometimes they were wry and witty.
They all presented an assignment that needed to be completed. First a quirky story, then step-by-step procedure. These simple little eLearning applications were successful. Customers using the eLearning could do the work. They were confident, competent, and they reported that they felt much more capable after the training.
These results drove me crazy. There was no computer that behaved like an expert teacher who was also a subject matter expert. These were simple programs that gave people a story and something easy to do. For thirty years I have carried the idea that this couldn't work without a system that passed an eLearning Turing Test. Could I really be wrong?
Do We Need Teachers At All?
The next blow to my theory of what good online learning requires came from India. Sugata Mitra, an energetic, imaginative leader in the education movement started "The Hole in the Wall Project." He put computers all around the world in poor areas where he thought teachers wouldn't go. He would provide an assignment with no instruction and then he would leave. He came back after a couple of months to see what had happened.
In some of the areas where English skills were low, children were able to use the computers to teach themselves geography, even when instructions were in English. Ten-year-olds figured out basic principles in genomics. Third graders learned and could explain the Pythagorean theorem. Children using Google and basic PC tools were able to grasp ideas far beyond what researchers expected.
Not only did they discover that a Turing Test for eLearning was not required, they learned that teachers were not necessary. In a recent TED talk, Mitra explained that self-organizing systems do not need outside influences to develop themselves and he concluded that "education is a self-organizing system where learning is an emergent phenomenon. "
Tags: elearning, etraining, Mitra, Alan Turing, Turing Test
Categories: Celebrity Bloggers | Research
Some people will say that the step to isolate the effects of your programs when measuring and evaluating their results is a defensive move. This can easily be said for evaluation at large. Anytime the ball is being run toward your goal, you're on the defense – protecting what is yours. The key is in taking the offense and addressing tough questions before they are asked.
The Tough Questions
Mike Swan is the training manager at a large tire retail company. He piloted a new training initiative in five stores. The purpose of the training was to reduce customer wait time and increase the number of cars serviced per day. Upon completion of the pilot, data showed that customer wait time had gone down and cars serviced per day increased. Mike shared these data with his Chief Learning Office (CLO) as well as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), hoping to receive enough funding to implement the initiative in other stores. The CFO, impressed there had been improvement in the two measures, asked:
"How much of that improvement is actually due to the program?"
Mike responded that he could not say with any level of certainty, but he said he knew that without the training, the improvement would not have occurred. The CFO asked a second question:
"How do you know?"
When Mike could not answer, the CFO suggested that he find out before he received additional
The Emotional Debate
Had Mike addressed the isolation issue during the evaluation and presented the positive results so that answers to the tough questions were evident, Mike may have received funding on the spot. All the executives wanted to know was how much change in improvement was due to the program--a fair question.
Those who argue that you cannot or should not isolate the effects of a program are often uninformed or misinformed. While a long-time part of the research process, this important step of measurement and evaluation was first brought to light in the training industry in the late 1970s when Jack Phillips developed the ROI Methodology. It was later incorporated into the first Handbook of Training Evaluation and Measurement Methods published in the U.S. by Gulf Publishing and authored by Jack Phillips (1983). The book, now going into its fourth edition, is used by training managers and academia worldwide. In spite of the wide application and acceptance by executives and researchers of this important step, the topic of isolating the effects of the program stirs up such an emotion in people that one has to wonder whether or not there is a fear that maybe the training does not make a contribution.
It is because of this debate and the need for more information that this topic is covered in the ASTD Handbook of Measuring and Evaluating Training. In this chapter author Bruce Aaron, Ph.D., capability strategy manager for Accenture, describes the importance of isolating the effects of your programs through the evaluation process. He describes some of the approaches often used by organizations. As you read the chapter, you will find there are a variety of techniques available.
The End of the Debate
Will this debate of isolating the effects of the program ever end? That's like asking the question, will the need for evaluation ever end? Hopefully the answer to both is no. Without debate, there is no research – without research there is no grounding – and without grounding there is no sustainability.
Fortunately, more than ever, individuals responsible for training measurement and evaluation are taking the offense. They are pursuing good evaluation, including isolating the effects of their programs. They plan ahead and can answer the tough questions – before they are asked.
Tags: ROI, training, evaluation, measurement and evaluation, Phillips
Categories: Books | Celebrity Bloggers | Evaluation and ROI
As you prepare for your trip to Chicago, think about how you can get the highest return on your ASTD ICE investment. Consider the following questions and corresponding tips:
Categories: Books | Celebrity Bloggers | Conferences | Evaluation and ROI | International
I've never been on the executive staff although I have ridden with my company president in his helicopter; I have been on a first name basis with more than one president of Intel, and I feel like I have exercised a great deal of influence driving the importance of employee learning into the strategies of various corporations and government agencies. However, I have never seen anyone do this better than Ray Jackson.
Ray also did not sit on the board or the executive staff, just the opposite. Moved from the field as a senior consultant in a Public Sector Information Services organization to a minor position as an assistant dean in the corporate university, Ray had directors, vice presidents, and company board members angling to sit next to him, in his office, at the cafeteria, and at many a hotel bar as he traveled the world.
Organizational Transformers Recruited
In the late-1990s, Ray worked at Unisys Corporation. Unisys had been at the forefront of business computing when computing was large scale, gymnasium size large. Unisys had trouble making the leap to mini-computers, personal computers, and then services.
To help guide a turnaround, Unisys lured Larry Weinbach away from his CEO position in one of the big accounting firms. There, Weinbach had quadrupled revenues, from $2.3B to $11B and was ready for a new challenge.
Weinbach inherited a Unisys with a command-and-control corporate culture where rank and seniority ruled, a cultural history where parts of the company were literally rooted in the Industrial Age. Secretaries still made coffee, and when they dared speak, it was in hushed tones, at least while they were in the presence of "the great ones," who ruled the empire.
Open Source Learning
Ray Jackson was a visionary in a new world. While the directorate at Unisys was still talking about a knowledge economy, Jackson brought Weinbach an early taste of the open source revolution in the learning space, complete with ideas that writer Don Tapscott has called the "roar of collaborative culture" and "emergence and serendipitous innovation." Jackson saw collaborative and conversational learning as part of a powerful transformative process – instead of waiting for change, people realized they could be the change.
After Jackson had worked out the kinks in his first classroom event, CEO Weinbach attended one of the classes. "On the way out to his car," Jackson reports, "he grabs me by the arm and says we have to get as many people through this program as possible, come by my office tomorrow and let's talk."
Anyone Can Edit
Jackson and Weinbach realized that to revitalize a moribund workforce they had to motivate everyone, whether they were designing services for the Government of Sweden or plugging chips into circuit boards at a factory outside Detroit. The Unisys University Leadership School was not just for the chosen few, and working with a committee of senior executives, they decided on an approach that Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales might have sanctioned. They decided to create a corporate culture where everyone could be a leader, and that like Wikipedia "anyone can edit."
Instead of developing 25 leaders, Jackson worked tirelessly leading the Leadership School to begin developing dozens, then hundreds, and eventually thousands around the world, working them through an original curriculum designed specifically to support the Unisys transformation, in all businesses, at all levels, in all geographies, veteran and rookie managers alike.
"I Am the Change, I Want to See"
They used one of several five-day programs as a process to begin transforming the company. The process began mundanely enough in the classroom, but the conversational learning Jackson championed soon had participants riveted. By the 3rd or 4th night, attendees reported they were being changed by the experience.
They began integrating it beyond their work and into their families and communities. They reported that they felt more energetic and that they were accomplishing more. For the first time in 20 or more years, they were feeling like their work was important. Classmates stayed in touch, and alumni from different programs found common ground to work together. Jackson's unique approach to learning created a profoundly personal experience, but in a shared context – individual relevance in collective power.
A Tsunami of Changed Leaders
This led to wave after wave of executives attending and embracing Ray Jackson's concept of leadership, until several thousand executives from all levels of Unisys became converts to Jackson's collaborative, vision charged leadership style. When the leadership community called for the CEO staff to go through the same five-day program as they did, Weinbach agreed. In an unprecedented move, the Unisys Executive Committee spent five days with Jackson, learning the same insights in the same way as the thousands before them. The feedback from that session was impressive and it sent a strong message to the rest of the company.
The Recession Takes Its Toll
This catharsis was ultimately a victim to falling values in the stock market and transitions in leadership. Despite success at a personal level, executive enthusiasm only motivates shareholders for a brief time. And after several years, it was time for Weinbach and several others to retire, and in a move typical in US corporations, the remaining allies were strongly encouraged to resign as well, leaving the Unisys revolution without a strong sustaining leadership base.
The problem that Ray Jackson and Larry Weinbach solved was this: They created, for the first time in a major corporation, a way to liberate the workforce to be individually responsible for change, while accelerating leadership learning throughout the organization.
The Ray Jackson story reveals if your goal is to drive strategic change and create an organization with embedded and on-going learning, the aspiration to be invited to the table is not the strongest move you can make. Instead, use your energy to:
For More Information:
Mick Mortlock's Website Biography
Wikinomics – Don Tapscott, Anthony Williams
Wikipedia – Jimmy Wales
A Seat at the Table – Marc Miller
Business Week on Ray Jackson
Tags: Conversational Learning, Kolb, Leadership, Seat at the Table, Command-and-Control, Open Source Learning, Anyone can edit
Categories: Celebrity Bloggers | Government
Business alignment is an imperative if you are interested in driving a positive return on your organization's training investment. As described in an earlier blog, Positioning Your Programs for Success in 2010, the process of achieving alignment includes four steps:
1. Clarify stakeholder needs2. Develop SMART objectives3. Communicate program objectives4. Evaluate success, including the ROI when appropriate
Clarying the ultimate need, or the payoff need, sets the stage for identifying a correct solution. But it is the business need that defines specific measures that must improve in order to take advantage of the payoff opportunity. These business needs represents the business measures that will ultimately be converted to monetary value and compared to the program costs, used in the ROI calculation. But what happens when business measures are not so clear? How do you align a program to the business when participants come to the program armed with their own specific business needs? When these situations occur, try using action plans.
What is an action plan?
In Chapter 8 of the upcoming ASTD Handbook of Measuring and Evaluating Training (coming soon!), Holly Burkett describes action plans in detail. But in a nutshell, an action plan is a tool by which participants identify specific actions they will take using content presented in your program to achieve some end. That 'end' is often the improvement in key business measures. Below is an example of an action plan intended to align planned actions with improvement in a business measure and calculate the ROI.
How does action planning work?
To ensure a successful action planning process, the following steps should be followed at their designated time frames.
Before the Program
Prior to the program, set the stage for action planning.
During the Program
During the program participants learn more about action planning.
After the Program
Post-program activities serve as the follow-up evaluation.
* * * *
The action planning process takes effort, but can be a powerful tool for collecting business impact data. In addition, data collected through the action planning process are used to calculate the ROI.
For an example of action planning in action, watch the webcast, Measuring the ROI in Performance Improvement Training The webcast was conducted on behalf of Learn.com. The actual case study (which serves as the handout referenced in the webcast) is attached below.
02.19.2010_Measuring ROI in Performance Improvement Training_Using Action Plans to Collect Level 4 Data.pdf (582.08 kb)
Tags: evaluation, ROI, action plans
We have now experienced ten years of e-learning and this is a good time to reflect on its impact. Sloman's (2009) paper entitled "Learning and technology – what have we learnt?" explores the progression of e-learning and its possible future directions. It extracts research conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), in the UK, from 2001 to 2008.
CIPD's research found that 57% of the responding organizations had used e-learning in some form, highlighting how e-learning has become an essential part of training delivery today. Although organizations seem to recognize some advantageous benefits of the delivery method, training managers on the other hand, did not consider e-learning to be as effective. Only 7% of training managers chose e-learning to be the most effective practice. This disparity highlights that organizations perceive greater benefits in e-learning than learners and trainers do.
This incongruity in perspectives acts as a great reminder of what organizations should be doing when designing and implementing e-learning programs for their employees. With a decade of experience in this subject matter, there is greater awareness of successful practices, which needs to be leveraged to help the future of e-learning. My article highlights the CIPD's view, that the following principles should be adopted to underlie any e-learning strategy, program, or intervention:
· Start with the learner: Know your audience – acknowledge the needs, preferences, strengths and limitations of your target audience.
· Relevance drives out resistance: Learners are more likely to engage with the e-learning program if they recognize its bearing to the organization.
· Take account of intermediaries: Regardless of delivery methods, learners need both support and challenge. Intermediaries are essential in achieving this, even with e-learning.
· Embed activity in the organization: E-learning cannot take place in isolation; it has to be integrated with other training courses and human management training systems.
· Support and automate: E-learning should be used as one element, within a range of formal and informal support mechanisms which can help learners to work and learn.
Sloman, M. (2009). Learning and technology – what have we learnt? Impact: Journal of Applied Research in Workplace E-learning, 1(1), 12-26.
The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in anyway.
© Copyright 2014


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Caleb's big boy bed!! What?! Haha yes so cute! Seems like this is the only way he'll stay asleep in his bed, he absolutely hates the whole crib thing! We had to take one whole side off from his crib, since this little man hates the fact he's in a little cage haha
Love Life With Gabby
Friday, June 20, 2014
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
The Key to a Happy Marriage
Thought I'd share this beautiful piece of writing.
Begin your lives together filled with romance and love, add laughter and loyalty with blessings from above. Appreciate one another for you both have much to share. Listen to each other to show how much you care. Be there for each other encourage, support and cheer, so that your dreams might be fulfilled with each passing year. Make sure to say "I Love You" and seal it with a kiss. Fill quiet moments together in happiness and bliss. Share your day's successes and disappointments, too. Good listeners help to lighten any problems that burden you. Spend time alone together give gifts that will surprise. Make love unconditional throughout your entire lives. The key to a Happy Marriage is for a couple to impart their hopes, dreams and all their love together as one heart.
*Source GANZ
Thursday, May 29, 2014
A little of Caleb's 411
My handsome little grumpy boy! He's looking so much older now! Oh and My little lazy boy is still not walking yet!! I guess it's a good thing from what I heard other mommy's say.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
15 facts you didn't know about this picture
Fact 1: I've recently gave birth to Caleb
Fact 2: We dressed up to go to Olive Garden
Fact 3: I barely bought this dress
Fact 4: The dress rip due to cheapy material!
Fact5: Hubby was holding a toothbrush
Fact 6: Recently dyed my hair
Fact 7: Hubby bought me my bracelet
Fact 8: Hubby got a new hair cut
Fact 9: Hubby was wearing black jeans
Fact 10: I was wearing wedges
Fact 11: We were in the restroom
Fact 12: I attempted a kiss
Fact 13: Hubby attempted to bite me
Fact 14: I had a boo boo on my finger
Fact 15: I had my eyebrows done
Monday, May 19, 2014
Caleb Liam The Cute-ster!!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Caleb's 1st Birthday Party!
Caleb just turned 1 on May 10th! He was born at exactly 6:07pm that day (': Oh gosh I couldn't be happier that my little one is growing up to be a healthy strong boy. He seemed super excited with the whole decorations! We had a blast so many family members came & Caleb got so many presents! How spoiled are little one came out to be! Can't wait for more birthday parties to come<3
Friday, April 25, 2014
I thought this only happens in movies!
Seriously? This actually really happens? ha ha This happen to me when Caleb was only a few months old. It came out as if it were pee, never new these things actually happen in real life. I might have lifted his butt too high or something idk ha ha but what a funny picture I have, to show him when he's older...
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Andy Reid: "Execution is Important"
"Reid wants smart players, not just a body with talent. Thinkers who grasp what Reid wants, extensions of him on the field. Several times at these OTA's I've heard Reid remind players out loud of this. Telling his QB's about accuracy, or retelling his receivers that what they do after the catch is just as important as making it. Last season the Chiefs looked lost. The players knew they had to get better… but had no clue how. Really, when I asked several they couldn't give me a clear answer. All they knew was they had to, but it never happened because leadership didn't know either."


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WICOMICO CO., Md. - Three local men have been arrested in connection with a series of burglaries in Wicomico County. According to the Wicomico County Bureau of Investigation, they have been looking into several burglaries in Hebron, Mardela Springs, and Sharptown, all on the Westside of the County.
They say that from March through October of this year, numerous residential burglaries occurred, where several thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, coins, firearms, and other personal property items were stolen. The investigation into these incidents lead to the arrests of Justin Marvel, 22, of Hebron, Ryan Ellis, 23, of Wicomico County, and Robert Gribble 22, of Sharptown.
All three were charged with burglary, theft, and other related offences. The burglaries are still under investigation. Anyone with other information related to these cases are asked to call Wicomico County Bureau of Investigations at 410-548-4892.


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Some people use statistics to try to figure out their chance of getting cancer or of being cured. Keep in mind, however, that statistics show what happens with large groups of people. Because no two people are alike, you can't use statistics to know or predict what will happen to you. These are some statistics from the American Cancer Society about laryngeal cancer in the United States .
In 2009, about 12,290 people will be told they have laryngeal cancer.
Laryngeal cancer is 4 to 5 times more common among men than women. Of all new cases, about 9,920 will be in men and about 2,370 will be in women.
Smokers have a greater risk of developing cancer of the larynx than nonsmokers. Fortunately, because fewer people are smoking, the rate of laryngeal cancer is decreasing.
Heavy drinkers of alcohol are at greater risk of getting laryngeal cancer than nondrinkers.
Over half of larynx cancers start in the glottis (vocal cords).
More than half of the people with cancer of the larynx are diagnosed after age 65.
Laryngeal cancer is about 50% more common among African Americans than among white Americans.
Approximately 3,660 people will die of this cancer this year.
New Appointments
Well Ahead Newsletter
© 2014 Main Line Health


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Originally posted 07/16/2013 09:45AM
Attention, Uncle Jesse fans: Hope you're sitting down.
Jesse Katsopolis – John Stamos's character on Full House – and his band, Jesse and the Rippers, are back ... and they're performing together again this Friday!
The group will appear on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, PEOPLE confirmed, after Stamos posted a cryptic Instagram video of himself singing the theme song to his beloved 90s sitcom.
Originally posted 06/25/2013 10:05AM
Katy Perry and John Mayer's on-again, off-again romance appears to be back on.
After recently telling Vogue magazine that she was "still madly in love" with Mayer, Perry was spotted out with the "Paper Doll" singer at New York's Greenwich Hotel on Saturday night and, later, at Monday's Friars Foundation Annual Applause Awards Gala honoring Don Rickles at the Waldorf-Astoria.
At the event, Mayer performed a tune made famous by Frank Sinatra, which captivated Perry.
"When John performed, Katy was enamored by his performance," a source tells PEOPLE. "He sang 'One for My Baby (and One More for the Road).' When they were sitting down, she had her arm around John at one point. They shared kisses."
Originally posted 03/25/2013 03:30PM
If you were a Full House fan in the 90s, you likely wanted Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky to bring their TV romance outside of the Tanner household. (And judging by the homemade montages on YouTube, some fans are still holding out hope for a hook up.)
In a new interview with Lori Loughlin, who played Aunt Becky, the actress reveals that a relationship with John Stamos during their run on the hit TGIF sitcom wasn't in the cards, timing-wise.
Originally posted 09/23/2012 01:15PM
Nineties nostalgia fans, rejoice: the Full House gang is back together!
It's been 25 years since primetime viewers first got a glimpse at a different kind of all-American family on Full House, but on Saturday, Uncle Jesse, two-thirds of the Tanner trio and even Gibbler got together in L.A.
The reunion brought together the patchwork San Francisco family, including Candace Cameron Bure (D.J. Tanner), 36, Bob Saget (Danny Tanner), 56, John Stamos (Jesse Katsopolis), 49, Jodie Sweetin (Stephanie Tanner), 30, Lori Loughlin (Becky Katsopolis), 48, Andrea Barber (Kimmy Gibbler), 36, Dave Coulier (Joey Gladstone), 53, and Scott Weinger (Steve Hale), 36.
Originally posted 08/28/2012 11:30AM
John Stamos is having the time of his life in Broadway's The Best Man – but his character, ruthless presidential candidate Joseph Cantwell, is about as far a cry from Uncle Jesse as you can get.
"It's one of the hardest things, to be a bastard for two hours and 40 minutes," Stamos tells PEOPLE. "It's exhausting."
"I'm not used to that as an actor, to make people not like me," he says. "I spent 30 years doing the opposite! But I know that I'm not doing the piece justice or the character justice if I don't lean into making him the snake that he is."
Originally posted 03/25/2012 10:20AM
Things got pretty steamy between Glee stars John Stamos, Naya Rivera and Cory Monteith Saturday night – on stage at the GLAAD awards, that is.
It all started when Rivera, who was co-hosting the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York along with Monteith, announced she would sell her "sweet lady kisses to the highest bidder" to help raise funds.
Monteith wasn't going to let the offer go unchallenged, offering his own smooching services – complete with freshly applied ChapStick – to interested bidders.
A sporting Monteith told the audience, which was in attendance to support gay and lesbian issues, "I have kissed Naya and it is fricken' awesome," but Rivera had fighting words: "It's officially a kiss-off," she announced, between "my juicy lips and his thin ones."
Originally posted 02/04/2012 02:15PM
Originally posted 10/13/2011 06:00AM
Jimmy Kimmel hosted a star-studded, four-hour wrap dinner for his show at West Hollywood's Fig & Olive. Joining the group: Ryan Gosling, who was especially charming and nice to the wait staff and fellow diners. The group, which also included Kimmel's girlfriend Molly McNearney, John Stamos and Bob Saget, was in great spirits, starting off with Grey Goose cocktails and red wine. They also sampled Mediterranean-inspired menu items such as rosemary lamb chops and fig & gorgonzola tartlets. – Jennifer Garcia
Originally posted 07/12/2011 03:20PM
Attention, John Stamos: Are you getting the message yet?
Last year, Karina Smirnoff told PEOPLE that the actor, 47, is her dream partner for an upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars.
Looks like she's launching the campaign yet again. Asked recently about who she wants to dance with, Smirnoff, 33, was abundantly clear.
Originally posted 03/12/2011 09:20AM
John Stamos is flattered that fans think he could replace Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men, but don't expect to see the former ER star on the CBS comedy any time soon.
"It's really not part of my career plan right now," he told Ryan Seacrest Friday. "I'm just on a different trajectory."
After Charlie Sheen was fired from the hit TV show, rumors swirled that stars such as Stamos and Rob Lowe might be up for filling the void. Still, Stamos isn't sure that he's the right guy for the job.
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Definition: A barter economy is an economy that lacks a commonly accepted currency, so all exchanges must be made with goods and services because money does not exist in these economies.
Terms related to Barter Economy:
- What Is Money?
- Why Does Money Have Value? - An Alternative Perspective
- Are recessions good for the economy?
Journal Articles on Barter Economy:


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Police return to gun murder scene
Police will return to a murder scene today, one week after a teenage university student was shot dead.
Joseph Burke-Monerville was fatally wounded in Clapton, East London last Saturday as he sat in a car with his two brothers in what police believe was a case of mistaken identity.
The 19-year-old, from Islington, was rushed to hospital but later died.
No arrests have been made but police say two suspects were seen running from the scene.
Today detectives will be appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward.


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Youth Cricket: Lakefield School reach last four at county finals (From Gazette Series)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting GS NEWS to 80360, or email us
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Youth Cricket: Lakefield School reach last four at county finals
9:32am Wednesday 2nd July 2014 in Sport
LAKEFIELD School girls narrowly missed out on a place in the final at Gloucestershire's Kwik Cricket county finals.
The Frampton-on-Severn school reached the semi-finals in the all-girls competition, while Cam Everlands had a side competing in the open event at the iconic Cheltenham College – home of the Cheltenham Cricket Festival.
Both schools won district finals to take their place at the even – but it was Christ Church Downed left celebrating a double triumph, beating Henleaze to take home the open title (for boys and girls) and triumphing over Great Rissington to secure victory in the girls' competition.
More than 200 children from 24 primary schools all over Gloucestershire took part. The finals day consisted of a 16-team 'open' festival for boys and girls and an all-girls competition featuring the best eight schools.
All the pupils taking part received Gloucestershire CCC goodie bags and met players Gareth Roderick and James Fuller, who were on hand to sign autographs and lend a few words of wisdom.
Players from the Gloucestershire Women's team helped umpire and score the matches.
Comments are closed on this article.


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Pitt Law Works: Volume 5 Issue 2 - September 24, 2009
PITT IN HOLLYWOOD is an organization formed to encourage the interaction between the entertainment industry and the University community. Learn about university-wide Pitt alums in the entertainment industry, find internship opportunities, or join the Forum where alumni working in LA and New York talk to each other. http://www.pittinhollywood.org.
For information specific to entertainment law in California, visit the LA County Bar Association website at www.lacba.org and click on the Intellectual Property and Entertainment Section link.
For information on sports and entertainment law internships nationwide, stop by our office and check out our resource/listing on the subject.
1. Start with an attractive layout.
Use bold and italics to highlight key points. Do not use templates: they can be difficult to update and they don't always appear, on an employer's computer monitor, the way it does on yours. Differences in word processing software can cause this issue.
2. Justify the text instead of using left align.
Most people are accustomed to reading justified text. This will make your résumé easy to follow.
3. Choose a common font.
Times New Roman, Arial, and Verdana are some of the best fonts for a résumé. Now is not the time to experiment. Most computers do not have 600 different fonts installed so the file will not read correctly if you use your decorative fonts. Do not use cutesy graphics; they are NOT appropriate for business correspondence, and I guarantee your résumé will be canned if you do this.
4. Do not use the word "I" in your résumé.
Start each sentence with a powerful verb. For example:
- Organized annual student symposium by securing speakers and working closely with marketing department executives
- Researched and wrote on a variety of health law topics including: privacy, living wills, professional licensure, and notice issues
5. Write a proper cover letter to accompany each resume.
Do not ever send out a résumé without a cover letter. This is basic business etiquette. Personalize each cover letter directly to the position you are applying to. A generic cover letter will not work to your benefit. If possible, address the letter directly to a person. If you do not know the hiring manager's name, contact the organization to find out (be sure to get the proper spelling and title.)
6. Print your résumé and read it word-for-word.
You can use the grammar and spell check function, but DON'T RELY on it.
7. When you have a degree, list only the year that you obtained your degree.
When you list your dates of attendance, many résumé scanning systems will not recognize that you obtained a degree, only that you attended college for a period.
8. Deactivate all e-mail links and Web addresses in your résumé and cover letter.
Many spam filters treat links of any kind as potential junk mail. You don't want your résumé destined for the recycle bin before it's even read. Right-click on the link and then click "remove link" to deactivate it.
9. Be consistent!
For example, don't list one date as 1/2009 and then list another date as 9/22/2009.
10. Adhere to punctuation and capitalization rules.
Use a reference manual if are unsure about standard punctuation and capitalization rules.
A public interest law career gives an attorney an opportunity to make a tangible difference in the community. Public interest attorneys' work benefits individuals and causes that are generally not served by the for-profit bar. Generally, the clients public interest lawyers represent are indigent individuals. Public interest lawyers are often identified by the organizations with which they are affiliated and the issues on which they work, whether environmental issues, gay rights issues, or children's issues. Some organizations provide representation for individuals (such as battered women or the homeless), while others are committed to advocacy and education designed to bring about social change (such as mental health issues or civil rights.) Legal services/legal aid organizations fill and important role by providing free or low cost legal representation for low-income individuals on issues such as housing, health, family law, social security, and other public benefits and assistance.
Public interest lawyers also work for all levels of government in executive departments, agencies, the legislature, judiciary and as public defenders. A limited number of private, for-profit firms, usually small in size, are considered public interest firms because of the nature of the cases they handle. They devote a substantial percentage of their practice to areas such as civil rights law, union-side labor law, employment discrimination law, family law, criminal law, immigration law, tenants' rights, and workers' compensation. They often offer their services on a reduced fee or a contingency fee basis. Finally, many private law firms and their lawyers make a generous commitment of time and resources to pro bono legal work.
The daily activities of public interest attorneys vary with the sector of practice in which they are involved, but include a combination of counseling clients, drafting legal documents, and appearing in court. Most public interest attorneys find satisfaction in the fact that their jobs permit them to make a difference in people's lives.
What skills are most important to public interest lawyers?
- A passion for public service.
- Strong interpersonal communication skills.
- Excellent oral advocacy skills.
- Patience, resourcefulness, tenacity and the ability to cope with crises.
- Foreign language skills are an asset.
- Good organizational and time management skills.
What classes and law school experiences do public interest lawyers recommend?
- In addition to taking courses that focus on the areas relevant to your interest, take a wide variety of classes, including family law, immigration law, contracts, real estate, tax law, evidence, bankruptcy, wills and trusts and criminal law.
- Participate in clinical programs, practicums and externships.
- Volunteer in community service organizations.
- Network via the Equal Justice Works conference or other public interest events.
- Visit www.pslawnet.org to research public interest organizations and opportunities.
- Take skills-based courses such as pleadings drafting, advanced legal writing, alternative dispute resolution
- Attend CLEs in areas of particular interest
We are now accepting applications for Summer 2010 Student Internship Program. Please click here above to view the vacancy on USAJobs and start the online application process. The deadline to submit completed applications is November 2, 2009.
PLEASE NOTE: You may experience some technical difficulties with the online application system. Please click here for workaround instructions.
How far could a student internship at the U.S. Department of State take you? Just for starters, it would give you a greatly coveted inside look into Foreign Service, the positions and the responsibilities that are possible.
Think of it as test-driving a career before you decide what you're going to do with your life. You'll gain valuable work experience that you'll be able to apply to virtually every endeavor - whether you work in government or in the private sector. Most of all, you feel good about doing something worthwhile for your nation.
Intern in Washington, DC or Overseas
At the U.S. Department of State, we like to say that we represent America to the world. As an intern here or abroad, you will be, too. Positions are both paid and unpaid, and many are available during spring, summer or fall.
For internship program details such as duties of an intern, participating offices and bureaus, types of internships, salary/benefit/housing information, please download the Student Internship Information Brochure (805kb, PDF).
Eligibility requirements
You must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have good academic standing
- Successfully complete a background investigation
- Be able to receive either a Secret or Top Secret clearance (34kb, PDF)
- Be a student.
Random drug testing will be performed.
A broad range of academic majors is sought in areas such as:
- Business Information Management
- Public Administration Journalism
- Social Work Biological, Physical or Engineering Sciences
- Economics
For overseas assignments, applicants must present evidence of medical insurance coverage. All students must be available to begin their internship within the appropriate application timetable. Click here to download the 2008 Student Internship Information Brochure (3089kb, PDF).
(Partial list of bureaus with positions for the Spring/Summer/Fall Internship program.)
- Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) (35kb, PDF).
- Offices in the Economic, Energy and Business Affairs Bureau (EEB) (65kb, PDF).
- Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR) (148kb, PDF).
Bureau of International Information Programs
- Office of Current Issues (IIP/C) (37kb, PDF).
- Publications Office (IIP/PUB) (35kb, PDF).
- Video Production Team (IIP/V) (37kb, PDF).
- Office of Web Development (IIP/W) (33kb, PDF).
Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR/R) (45kb, PDF).
Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Scientific Affairs (OES) (47kb, PDF).
Office of the Secretary
- Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS) (102kb, PDF).
- United States Mission to the United Nations (USUN) (46kb, PDF).
- Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) (64kb, PDF).
Compensation and Benefits
Unpaid Internships:
- May be able to earn college credit.
- Unpaid assigned to the U.S. qualify for MetroChek Transit Subsidy
Paid Internships:
- Temporary appointment at the GS-4 through GS-7 grade level (based on education, work experience and availability of funds)
- If appointment is for more than 90 days, annual leave and sick leave is earned at the rate of four hours per biweekly pay period
- Paid federal holidays
- Contribute to Social Security
- Paid interns assigned to the U.S. qualify for MetroChek Transit Subsidy
How to Apply
We are now accepting applications for Summer 2010 Student Internship Program. Please click here or on the Gateway to State button above to view the vacancy on USAJobs and start the online application process. Please note that the deadline to submit completed applications is November 2, 2009.
PLEASE NOTE: You may experience some technical difficulties with the online application system. Please click here for workaround instructions.
All applications are submitted online through the "Gateway to State" system, which also screens applications to make sure that they are complete, and that applicants meet the eligibility criteria.
Click here to download the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR) position descriptions
For more information on how bureaus select interns, and more detailed information on the application process, please download the Student Internship Information Brochure.
Technical Difficulties: Please contact the helpdesk via e-mail or phone (866-656-6830) if you are having technical difficulties. Click here to download Fax Imaging Instructions.
Tues., September 29th , CSO Resource Center (2nd Floor) (All students are encouraged to attend) 1:00-2:15pm
The Career Services Office welcomes ALL students to our Fall Open House. Stop by and enjoy some coffee and treats. Or come in for the chance to win door prizes. CSO staff will be on hand to talk with you about your career development and anything else that is on your mind. This open house will also serve as a Kick-off for job searching beyond OCI. Counselors will be on hand to demonstrate how to best use CSO resources in your job search. Also, 2L and 3L students, don't forget to sign up for our Beyond OCI focused individual counseling sessions which begin on Sept. 28th.
Monday September 28th-Wednesday, October 7th (2L and 3L Students by appointment)
Perhaps you weren't interested in the types of employers participating in Fall OCI or maybe it didn't work out as you had planned. It is easy to feel left out of the Fall job searching hustle and bustle. And it is all too easy to feel disappointed about Fall OCI and give up on your job search. Now is a great time to meet with a CSO counselor to help you focus/refocus your energies on your job search. 2L and 3L students can stop by Room 235 to schedule an appointment or email email@example.com. If your schedule does not permit a meeting during this time period, students are welcome to schedule an appointment on another date.
Wednesday, October 7th, 9th Floor auditorium, City County Building
The ACBA Women in the Law Division and the Diversity Collaborative are co- sponsoring a special program entitled Using Relationship Marketing to Develop Business on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 over lunch in the 9th floor auditorium of the City County Building. This is the final installment of the career advancement series: Yes You Can! Creating Your Personal Roadmap for a Successful Legal Career which began in October 2008.
The program will be given by Sandra Solomon, principal of Sandra Solomon Associates, who has advised many women-owned businesses, lawyers and other professionals on the key components of a successful marketing plan. In keeping with the prior focus of the series to offer concrete advice to practitioners, the program will address four main areas: Targeting Audiences, Relationship Marketing, Individual and Practice "Brand" Building and Business Planning. In addition, you will get tips on "working the room" at a social event, entertaining clients and prospects, and developing and implementing a strategic business plan. Differences in marketing associated with gender will be addressed from the standpoint of woman attorneys seeking to do business with male clients and the comfort level of women clients in dealing with male attorneys. Panelists joining Ms. Solomon will be Rosa Copeland Miller, a trial attorney with Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP, and Julie Meder, an intellectual property attorney with The Webb Law Firm, who will share some of their own success stories - and struggles -- with marketing. Lunch will be provided from 11:30 - 12, and the presentation and discussion will run from 12-1:30. All attendees are encouraged to bring business cards as time for networking will be provided at each session. The cost is $10 per session. RSVP for the session by October 2 to Marlene Ellis at 412.402.6611 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Thursday, October 8th 12:30-2pm ALCOA ROOM - RSVP Required (All students are encouraged to attend)
Are you aware of the market forces affecting the legal profession? Are you looking for insights on the the daily news reports about the economy and its impact on the legal marketplace?
Then come to a program that is sure to provide a better picture of what is going on in the legal industry along with strategies for success. The Law School's Career Services Office and the newly established Innovation Practice Institute are partnering with the Allegheny County Bar Association to present a panel program and reception on the State of the Legal Marketplace. The program will present different views on what is happening in the marketplace, how we got here, the manner in which business models may or may not be changing, practice areas that are thriving and those that are on the decline, and projections for the future. Panel members will also share insights as to how students can best position themselves in this changing marketplace and discuss the importance of immersing yourself in the legal community as a student and how this will benefit not only your job search, but your career in the long term.
Panelists will include: David Blaner, Executive Director, Allegheny County Bar Association; Marie Millie Jones, Partner, Meyer Darragh Buckler Bebeneck & Eck; Eugene Connors, Hiring Partner (Pittsburgh office), Reed Smith; Kaveri Subbarao, Chief Marketing Officer & Attorney at Law, Cohen & Grigsby; and Diane Lazarris, General Counsel, Dick Corporation. The panel portion will be followed by a reception. If you would like to attend please RSVP to Pam Day , email@example.com ASAP but no later than Monday, October 5th.
COVER LETTER WORKSHOP (2L and 3L Students - RSVP Required)
Tuesday, October 6th 1:00-2:00pm Room 111
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to you because I struggle to craft effective cover letters, yet I am seeking a job for the summer. As a student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, I do not feel I have any skills or experience to offer; however I would very much like to begin my career in Los Angeles... If you dread writing cover letters; don't know what to say; or know why you should take the time to write them in the first place, this session is for you. We will briefly review what purpose cover letters serve. We will also go over cover letter do's and don'ts. And we will provide an opportunity for you to try your hand at cover letter drafting. If you are a 2L or 3L student interested in attending, please RSVP to Mary Thinium at email@example.com by Thursday, October 2nd.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm (RSVP Required)
Omni William Penn, Urban Room, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Women's Bar Association of Western Pennsylvania invites law students to join them for a Judicial Reception to honor, meet and greet the finest in our profession. Complimentary hors d' oeuvres and cash bar will be available. If you would like to attend please call the WBA at (412) 429-1922 by October 9th to make a reservation or email Michelle Pierson at email@example.com . Judges & 2009 WBA Members Free/Others $20.00. Please note that student memberships are $10 at this point in the year, however, those who volunteer to help greet the judges/registration at any of our events receive a free student membership (they can tag team and only work about 1/2 hour shifts). If you would like to volunteer please let Michelle know in your RSVP.


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Network Rail work 'must be passenger-focused'
Anthony Smith, chief executive of rail customer watchdog Passenger Focus, has said of Network Rail's expansion £37.5bn investment plan:
"Passengers will welcome the fact that Network Rail and train companies are working together on a plan to deliver passenger and Government priorities - more trains on time, and more seats.
"This work must be passenger-focused in the planning and delivery. Improvements in satisfaction are welcome, but we would like to see an earlier date for setting a satisfaction target.
"Passengers already put in roughly £2 for every pound spent by the taxpayer. It is critical that industry tackles its value-for- money offering, reducing costs without cutting services, to head off another five years of above-inflation fare increases."


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Zach Revense
OMAHA (KPTM)- A thief stole donation envelopes from an Alcoholics Anonymous group.
President Martin Lenz said someone through a cement brick through a glass door
through the Hamilton Club Saturday.
Lenz found the damage Sunday morning, right before one of his meetings.
"I was sort of in shock a little bit. I saw the glass broken and didn't realize the inside had been broken into."
Recovering alcoholics meet at the Hamilton Club seven days a week. Donations left in this basket keep the place running.The money comes from members.
"We do have to pay the bills. We have rent, utilities, coffee and sugar and everything else that comes with it."
"We hope they use the money for something good. Maybe to eat, or feed their family or who knows what."
Around $200 is missing. Lenz says he still has to replace another door.
"People are donating a little bit extra in the basket when we pass it. It's coming along pretty good."
"We forgive the person or people that did this. Hopefully that person will come back someday, and let us help the."
After 10 years being sober, it's help he
believes in first hand.
Police have fingerprints and are trying to track down the thief.


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54% of the early vote went to Mouton. This was due to all the trash talk about Jeff and Larry. By the time Jeff had the opportunity to tell the citizens the truth, the election day vote for Mouton was but 47%. So all the cheap trash talk, rumors, and lies about Jeff hurt him in the early voting too much before he had the opportunity to address them. Had the race been clean like Bennie and Sherry's, the outcome would have much different.
Jerry Lee, you have the helm, so welcome to my world. As my dad told me as a youngster, you have to earn respect, and so far you have shown me very little to earn my respect. Everyone has a right to their opinion, I just wanted to share mine.


text:
The wait is over! Download the BeerAdvocate app on iTunes or Google Play now.
Get 12 issues / year of BeerAdvocate magazine for only $9.99!
Alt - Broadway Brewery & Restaurant
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Ratings: 2 | Reviews: 2 | Display Reviews Only:
Reviews by zeff80:
1.65/5 rDev -2.9%
I don't know what happened here, but this one has some issues. Looks good - Golden orange with a small, white head of bubbly foam. Some light lacing. It smelled like raw hop pellets. It was over-the-top. I couldn't smell any of the malt. I could taste some maltiness but it was mostly an exceptionally grassy taste. Not that it matters but the mouthfeel was okay. Fairly crisp and smooth. This just wasn't drinkable. It had so many issues that need improvement.
01-13-2011 02:50:58 | More by zeff80
More User Reviews:
1.75/5 rDev +2.9%
Appearance: A hazy bronze beer with a thin ring of head and just a little bit of tight lace.
Smell: Soapy and odd bitter smell.
Taste: It has a very off sour taste I am not even sure what to compare it to.
Mouthfeel: It very watery and thin.
Overall: I am not a fan.
01-30-2012 21:54:55 | More by MTNboy
Alt from Broadway Brewery & Restaurant
- out of 100 based on 2 ratings.


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Green and White Junior Visit Day
Saturday, April 12, 2014
"When should we begin the college search process?" "What questions do I need to get answered?" "Are my grades and test scores good enough?" "How can I afford a Lake Erie College education?" "What is a Learning Community?"
These are just a few questions that we hear every day from students just like you! The best way to get the answers to these questions is to attend our annual Green and White Junior Visit day. This is your opportunity to tour our campus, meet with faculty, visit with our students, and discover the awesome benefits of spending your next four years at Lake Erie College.
Your day will begin with check-in at 8:30 a.m. and will end with a nice lunch in the Holden Center. For students who are interested in our Equine Studies programs, there is an additional afternoon session at 1:00 p.m. in the George M. Humphrey Equestrian Center. In addition, our STORM football team will be hosting their annual Spring Green and White game at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium. Tickets are free!
Now's your chance... find out what it's like to be part of OUR TRADITION!
Registration is CLOSED!
We welcome you to schedule an individual campus visit by clicking here.


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3 picks for the rally's last gasp
Each of these stocks should get a lift from catalysts expected to kick in before the rally runs its course.
Let's say you have new money to put to work in stocks, or you took profits and you have old money to redeploy or you never got fully invested in this rally and you'd like to put more cash to work now.
I think you have three alternatives:
• You can wait to see if the current drip, drip, drip of a 4.6% retreat on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX) from the 52-week high of 1,687.18 to the June 5 close at 1,608.9 turns into a dip so attractive that you can get over your fear of a falling market and actually buy.
• You can hope to find a bargain or two, but let me tell you, I've seen more tempting selections at Filene's Basement on Christmas Eve. We are talking about a market that's not so far off its all-time highs, after all. The bargain bin has been picked over more than a few times during this rally.
• You can decide, consciously, to be too early. I know, I know . . . the time value of money and all that. Buying too early is usually a huge no-no. And it can be emotionally exhausting. Waiting and waiting and waiting can become so depressing that investors throw up their hands and say, "Get me out of that." It probably only seems like every stock you give up on then takes off like a rocket. But consciously buying too early can be your best bet in a strong rally that has run for months and shows signs of running some more. As rallies age, investors go further and further out the time line looking for potential winners. That process means that some of the far-future gains you'll get in a "too-early" stock actually start showing up now.
Jim Jubak
I don't know if that description -- a strong rally that has run for months and shows signs of running some more -- will accurately describe this stock market in a few more days or weeks. Maybe the "drip" will turn into a buyable "dip." In that case, I'll do a very quick revision of my April 22 column on 10 picks for a potential correction.
For now, I'm going to cover another base and give you three "too early" stocks just in case this rally isn't quite done with us yet.
My rules for good "too early" stocks are pretty simple.
I want to be able to clearly identify the turnaround, trend, event, whatever, that I'm waiting for. The more clearly I can define it, the better.
And I want to be able to put a time of arrival on whatever I'm waiting for with some degree of confidence. Using this approach, you're buying consciously too early. That's different from "buy-and-hope." If you can define what you're waiting for, you should be able to give an estimated time of arrival.
Without further ado, let me give you three "too early" stocks to buy on the assumption of a resumption in this rally.
Chesapeake Energy
Let me go into detail on this first stock because it defines so well what I'm looking for in a "too early" stock. Chesapeake Energy (CHK) is struggling with low natural gas prices that (maybe) have started to recover but remain well below the cost of production for many players in the industry.
The company, which loaded up on debt to acquire drilling leases, is selling assets to fill a funding gap of about $3.5 billion in 2013. And asset sales, uncomfortably, have been going more slowly than the company projected.
But I see five major catalysts that make me willing to buy the stock now:
• It looks like natural gas production in the United States will increase by just 1% this year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That's a big drop from the 8% growth of 2011 and the 4% growth last year.
• Less production plus more demand for natural gas should push prices higher. Standard & Poor's is projecting Henry Hub spot prices will average $5 per million BTUs (British thermal units) next year, up from $2.58 in 2012 and a projected $3.72 in 2013.
• Chesapeake's production is showing an increasing shift toward oil and natural gas liquids that command higher prices than natural gas does.
• Chesapeake has shifted away from its traditional strategy of land acquisition and asset sales to a more conventional emphasis on drilling and production. Spending on land acquisition will drop to just $400 million out of this year's $6 billion capital-spending budget. That's a huge shift for a company that spent $5.8 billion on acquiring leases in 2010.
• Long-time CEO Aubrey McClendon retired in April and has been replaced by Doug Lawler from Anadarko Petroleum (APC). McClendon's strategy of aggressively growing acreage under lease has seemed increasingly out of touch with the natural gas market. Lawler comes to Oklahoma City having most recently headed Anadarko's international and deep-water operations, including the company's liquid natural gas project in Mozambique. Before that, he had headed Anadarko's unconventional onshore development.
Before their recent pull-back, Chesapeake shares were showing a gain of 33.3% in the previous 12 months, enough to convince me that this "too early" stock has picked up some support. Considering the company's near-death plunge from $62.90 on June 26, 2008, to $14.25 on December 2, 2008, the June 5 price of $21.52 leaves plenty of headroom. I'll be adding Chesapeake to my Jubak's Picks portfolio with a 12-month target price of $31.
Joy Global
This is the earliest of my "too early" stocks -- so early, in fact, that you won't be able to find signs of a significant move up in the shares. (The stock is down 14.7% year to date as of June 5.) Here, I'm waiting for the global mining industry to stop cutting capital budgets. I think that's likely for 2014.
In its second-quarter earnings, Joy Global (JOY) reported improving stability in sales and orders. Sales did drop 12% year over year, but that was in line with expectations. Orders dropped 8% from the 2012 quarter but were up 10% from the first quarter. Order backlog fell 9% from the first quarter. Gross margins, importantly, at 33.2%, were more than a percentage point above expectations.
Unfortunately, I think Joy Global will have to weather one more round of capital-budget cuts from its mining customers. A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers calculates that the 40 largest mining companies (by market capitalization) plan to cut capital spending by 20% in 2013.
Given the continued weakness in commodity prices, those planned cuts will likely grow to include one more round of so-far unplanned reductions. Mining companies finished 2012 with the lowest return on capital -- just 8% -- and the lowest free cash flow in a decade.
Dividends climbed in 2012 to 57% of net income from 52%. That puts pressure on mining companies to increase profits and cash flow. And the easiest way to do that is to cut capital spending.
I'd say Joy Global is a 2014 story, but I'd like to see more visibility on the timing of a turn in orders before I plunk my money down on this one. (Joy Global is a member of my Jubak Picks 50 long-term portfolio.)
Companies mentioned in this article include: Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG).
Apple (AAPL) is at the other end of the "too early" spectrum. On the eve of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (June 10-14 in San Francisco), investors are focusing too much on the potential buzz out of the conference and giving too little weight to the other hurdles Apple needs to jump.
Generating some buzz out of this conference is crucial to a recovery in Apple's stock. (The 52-week range for Apple is a huge $385 to $705. On June 5, the stock closed at $445.11.) Crucial but not sufficient, in my opinion.
For the stock to recover a big share of the ground it has lost, buzz has to be followed by June and September quarters that put to rest Wall Street's worries about a collapse in Apple's margins. The San Francisco conference won't see the introduction of a new iPhone or iPad; those products will get their own events later in the year. Instead Apple is likely to preview the new iOS7 and OS X operating systems.
The big deal here is the iOS7 overhaul, the first big makeover to Apple's mobile operating system. Will what Jony Ive, Apple's design guru, previews be enough to get developers and the media gushing about the platform's potential? (I think the event could also see a refresh of the Siri voice application and Apple's iCloud service, along with a preview/announcement of Apple's new iRadio streaming music service. Apple is under pressure to at least match Google's (GOOG) announcement of its music service at the latter's developers conference in May.)
Part two will take longer. Apple will have to demonstrate in its results for the June and September quarters that, while its margins might be under pressure, they certainly aren't in any danger of a collapse.
The view on Wall Street is that competition from Samsung and makers of other Android phones, Apple's own possible plans for a cheaper iPhone and Apple's raft of scheduled new products will all cut into company's gross margin.
But what has freaked Wall Street out about Apple's shares is that no one knows how big the drop in gross margins will be or how long it might go on. For anything but a bounce on the buzz, Wall Street will have to see that margins aren't going into major swoon. Without that, I don't think buzz will be enough. Apple is scheduled to report quarterly earnings on July 23. (Apple is a member of my Jubak Picks portfolio).
I'd be looking to buy these shares after that July earnings report in anticipation that Apple will be able to deliver the margin evidence that Wall Street wants in the September and December quarters.
Companies mentioned in this article include: Chesapeake Energy (CHK), Joy Global (JOY) and Anadarko Petroleum (APC).
Updates to Jubak's picks
These recent blog posts contain updates to the stocks in Jubak's market-beating portfolios:
- Abe's speech disappoints Tokyo
- Mitsubishi UFJ's future isn't entirely grim
- Will higher interest rates mean fewer home sales
- Can Petrobras live up to its potential?
- Heady times for platinum and palladium
- What do overseas LNG sales mean for US?
Full disclosure: I don't own shares of any of the companies mentioned in this post in my personal portfolio. When in 2010 I started the mutual fund I manage, Jubak Global Equity Fund (JUBAX), I liquidated all my individual stock holdings and put the money into the fund. The fund did own shares of Apple as of the end of March. For a full list of the stocks in the fund as of the end of March see the fund's portfolio here.
Jim Jubak's column has run on MSN Money since 1997. He is the author of the book "The Jubak Picks," based on his market-beating Jubak's Picks portfolio; the writer of the Jubak's Picks blog; and the senior markets editor at MoneyShow.com. Get a free 60-day trial subscription to JAM, his premium investment letter, by using this code: MSN60 when you register at the Jubak Asset Management website.
Click here to find Jubak's most recent articles, blog posts and stock picks.
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Fundamental company data and historical chart data provided by Morningstar Inc. Real-time index quotes and delayed quotes supplied by Morningstar Inc. Quotes delayed by up to 15 minutes, except where indicated otherwise. Fund summary, fund performance and dividend data provided by Morningstar Inc. Analyst recommendations provided by Zacks Investment Research. StockScouter data provided by Verus Analytics. IPO data provided by Hoover's Inc. Index membership data provided by Morningstar Inc.
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[BRIEFING.COM] S&P futures vs fair value: +1.80. Nasdaq futures vs fair value: +6.30. U.S. equity futures are pointing to a slightly higher open, but have slipped from their morning highs in the wake of a disappointing report from electronics and appliance retailer Conns (CONN), which was attributed in large part to credit quality issues across "all credit quality levels, customer groups, product categories, geographic regions, and years of origination."
Longer-dated Treasuries ... More
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A charcuterie master shares his process for cold-smoking meat at home.
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Snakes are out early in Texoma this spring. The mild winter means snakes are already coming out of hibernation. Cosme Ojeda is the Director of Operations for the Wichita Falls Better Business Bureau. He and his dog Bear encountered one of the scaly reptiles in their backyard.
Ojeda said, "We heard some hissing, like a snake hissing, then we saw him get into it with the snake. I got out there finally and he'd already started doing some crunching."
The snake was already dead, but Ojeda was worried his dog could have been bitten.
"I grabbed the snake with a stick and brought it inside and looked at it and made sure it wasn't venomous to call the vet."Ojeda looked online for the 'Snakes of Texas' and thought he found a match: a non-venomous diamond-back water snake. Still, his encounter is one of many already this spring. Animal Services Administrator Katrena Mitchell said, "We picked up two this morning that were on porches they're just out seeking heat. They come out a lot sooner with the mild winter and its been warm this spring already and its already getting close to 100 degrees so snakes are coming out." Mitchell also offered advice on how to keep snakes away from your home:
If you see a snake near your home, Mitchell says to stay away and call Animal Control.
If you or your pet is bitten:
Residents in Wichita falls are just as likely to see snakes as residents in rural areas. Mitchell said, "We see snakes all over Wichita Falls. We see them in the Tanglewood and Canyon Creek areas. There's always rattlesnakes that pop up throughout the year over there and in other parts of town".
Non-venomous snakes captured by animal control are relocated to less populated areas. Venomous snakes are killed.
Jack Lamson, Newschannel 6