text:
What's Wrong with Marketing Today?
Posted on August 10th 2014
The trouble with marketing? Everyone is doing it.
That's not a surprise. Marketing is imperative for a business to grow. Without some sort of marketing, how will customers find you? Unless you've got a super-exclusive business that trades on being best-kept secret, marketing your business is essential.
Because it's so important, feelings about marketing run the gamut. For some, marketing is a necessary evil. For others, it's a passion. For most, it's both a mainstay and mystery: we have to do it, but we don't know how to do it right.
Why do so many business owners have trouble nailing the perfect marketing formula? Because everyone is doing it.
Who's the Expert?
When you're buying marketing services for your business, there is no shortage of people willing to take your money. Most of them will tell you to spend in on their services, with little regard for strategy.
Ask an advertising expert, and they'll sell you….wait for it…..ADVERTISING!
Looking for help understanding social media? A social media guru will happily "help you" with managing multiple accounts and creating regular postings.
Are either of these approaches right for your business? That's the question you alone can answer.
What's wrong with marketing is that there are too many so-called experts and not enough informed buyers. Slick agencies dazzle business owners with glitzy presentations, lock in a contact and fail to deliver results. Unscrupulous consultants give you half the solution, telling you what to do but not how to do it.
Granted, not everyone you meet will purposely–or even inadvertently–waste your money. There are many excellent marketers around. After more than 20 years in the field, I've met and worked with lots of them.
These real experts have their clients' best interests at heart and they work in partnership with clients to spark business growth, knowing that exceptional results will win them referrals and help their own business grow.
The trouble is that finding the real experts can be a challenging exercise because there is so much competition for your marketing dollars. Add to that the fact that the discipline of marketing has fragmented considerably in recent years.
When it used to be easy to find an agency that could handle all your marketing, now there are choices to be made experts in things like SEO, online advertising, social media, mobile marketing, and much more.
Entrepreneurs and executives looking for marketing help must be both wary and wise about what they're buying.
Modern Marketing is Highly Fragmented
A few years ago a simple ad campaign developed by the local radio station or a print campaign in an industry trade magazine might have been enough to generate new leads for a growing business.
Now buyers of marketing services must contend with multiple aspects of branding, marketing and communications. Topics like these can be overwhelming to business owners who don't revel in the nuances of modern marketing:
- Online vs. offline advertising
- Mobile marketing, SMS, and location-based promos
- Multi-channel strategies (consumer and B2B)
- Engaging buyers through social networks
- Creating social media strategies
- The changing landscape of PR and media
- Demand generation and lead nurturing
- Email marketing, list building and direct mail
- Content creation and curation
- Dynamic pricing and incentives
- Reviews and ratings
- Customer loyalty and retention
- Customer experience and customer journeys
- and much more…
It's nearly impossible for the average executive to stay on top of all the items listed above. This climate demands access to savvy partners who can guide you through the progress of determining what's uniquely best for your business. Once you decide, the solution is never static.
Set It and Forget It?
Business can't afford to take a "set it and forget it" approach to marketing because the landscape in constantly changing. What worked yesterday won't be as viable tomorrow, because something in the landscape will evolve.
Marketing today is like looking through a kaleidoscope. We all start with the same pieces, but how you see the ideal mix depends on how those pieces are arranged. As soon as you think you've found the perfect picture, something shifts and everything looks different.
Understanding that you're in a shifting landscape can make it easier to succeed. When you know you must constantly adjust your balance, you can focus on the things that will help steady your efforts. Three important areas to concentrate on are
- Knowing what works well today.
- Continually testing and refining your marketing mix.
- Anticipating what will work tomorrow.
Finding the right partners in this process starts with developing the ability to avoid shiny object syndrome (SOS). You shouldn't chase every new thing any more than you should cling blindly to the past. Be judicious. Explore the options, test the waters and make your own decisions rather than falling sway to someone else's enthusiasm for the next big thing, especially if their business depends on getting you to say "yes."
Balance is Best
More than ever, effective marketing is a balance of art and science. Objective metrics are critical, and so is understanding that the data can be deceiving. For example, attributing a sale to the last touch with a customer is misleading. If you don't account for the branding, awareness and visibility efforts that contribute to capturing an online lead, for example, you'll likely overestimate the stand-alone value of online lead generation.
To fix what's wrong with marketing–or more specifically, your marketing–focus on the end game: revenue and relationships. Ask yourself:
- Who are your best customers?
- What do you offer them that's unique, valuable and distinctive?
- How can you reach them to share your story?
When you know the answers to these questions, you're ready to engage an expert advisor to help. (I'll cover how to vet them in another post.)
The post What's Wrong with Marketing Today? appeared first on Joey Sargent.
Photo Credit: Marketing Use/shutterstock
Hello Joellyn,
I agree with you regarding the fact that a lot of so-called consultants just want to take your money and spent it without your best interest in mind. Nevertheless, do not forget that some clients refuse to listen to good advice because they find on the internet "the secret solution to built your online strategy" or articles likewise.
So if it's crucial that the client be cautious about the people he works with regarding its marketing strategy, what is your advice for the other side ? How can one convince a client that going to Facebook might not be the best strategy for its brand ? That a LinkedIn page where you just post news without engaging your audience is not the solution ?


text:
Cast: Narain, Prasanna, Vijayalakshmi, Ajmal, Ponvannan, M S Baskar, Pandia Rajan
Direction: Mysskin
Production: V. Hitesh Jhabak
Music: Sundar C Babu
Watch Anjatey Online:
Server-1: Watch Full Movie here
Server-2: Part-1 || Part-2 || Part-3 || Part-4 || Part-5
Download Anjaathey Links:
Server-1: Part-1 || Part-2 || Part-3 || Part-4
Server-2: Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3
Server-3: Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3
Story Line:
This is a story about Satyavan (Narain) and Kripa Sankar (Ajmal Ameer), both are the sons of police head constables and good friends from childhood. Kripa's aim is to join the police force while Satyavan is an irresponsible persond who involves in all kind of irregular person. Circumstances make Satyavan a police officer and Kripa an aide of Daya (Prasanna), who is running a kidnapping racket. Both are affected by Satyavan, who is now a honest Sub- Inspector, and wants to take revenge. See the whole movie to know the rest of the story.
(ajathey, anjatey, anjathe, anjathay, tamil dvd move latest)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
'UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz' Live Results & Pay-Per-View Stream
Fight fans, we got you covered! As part of our usual UFC Fight Night coverage,…
Added 20 mins ago
Join The Penn Brothers For A Once In a Lifetime BJJ Experience, February 7
Saturday, February 7, at the 'UFC Gym BJ Penn Waikele', BJ Penn, JD Penn, Reagan…
Added 23 hours ago
WATCH! — 'UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz' Post Fight Press Conference — Live Tonight
Following tonight's 'UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz' main event, fight fans are invited here to…
Added 28 mins ago
Dana White Forcing Gastelum, Lineker Up In Weight
"John Lineker will never fight in the Flyweight division again. He'll have to fight at…
Added 36 mins ago
Report: Belfort Turned Down Fight With Lyoto Machida
"We don't think that is fair with Vitor a fight with a guy with a…
Added 40 mins ago
Gastelum Coach on Bad Weight Cut: "I was scared"
"He wasn't vomiting food. It was more like mucus. He was in a bad state…
Added 50 mins ago
Belfort Sitting Idle, Will Wait For Chris Weidman To Get Healthy
e UFC middleweight number one contender, Vitor Belfort will not let his title shot against…
Added 1 hour ago
Georges St-Pierre on Role in "Kickboxer" Remake
Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre talks about his future projects and more.
Added 1 hour ago
UFC 183 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 4
On episode #4 of UFC 183 Embedded, all eyes are on Friday's pre-fight weigh-in. Women's…
Added 2 hours ago
Anderson Silva's Reality Show – "Spider Life", Episode 8
Follow UFC legend Anderson Silva as he prepares for his main event return against Nick…
Added 2 hours ago
Gastelum, Lineker Fined 30% For Missed Weight
Good news, bad news, for Kelvin Gastelum and John Lineker. After missing weight at today's…
Added 19 hours ago
Mayweather Agrees To Fight Pacquiao — Deal's Done!
The boxing mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao appears to be locked! TMZ Sports…
Added 19 hours ago
Kelvin Gastelum: 'Beating Woodley Is First Step Towards The Title'- Exclusive
UFC 183 is Saturday and the excitement is at an all time high for…
Added 19 hours ago
STAREDOWNS! 'UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz' Edition
Earlier today, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the UFC 183 fighters…
Added 20 hours ago
REPLAY! 'UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz' Weigh-Ins (Full)
If you missed BJPENN.COM's live broadcast of today's 'UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz 'weigh-ins event,…
Added 21 hours ago
'Wonderboy" forced out of UFC FIght Night 60 headliner with Brandon Thatch
The injury bug has struck again! This time it's UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson who has…
Added 21 hours ago
Holly Holm vs. Raquel Pennington moved to co-main event status at UFC 184
The highly anticipated octagon debut of former world boxing champion Holly Holm (7-0 MMA) will…
Added 21 hours ago
'UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz' Weigh-In Results — Two Miss Weight
Today, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the UFC 183 fighters hit the scales to…
Added 21 hours ago
Weidman vs. Belfort Off — Ronda Rousey Headlines UFC 184
According to THIS REPORT (via MMAJunkie.com), Chris Weidman is injured, and out of his scheduled…
Added 21 hours ago
REPLAY! Conor McGregor's UFC 183 Fan Q&A
If you missed BJPENN.COM's live broadcast of today's Conor McGregor Fan Q&A, here's the replay….
Added 21 hours ago


text:
(01-23-2012 10:30 PM)Ducks_Fan Wrote: And here is my girlfriends cell number, she is a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys. Her number is 1-555-738-9012
(01-24-2012 01:40 AM)dragik Wrote: Oh yeah? Well, I bought a pack of Score and got this bad boy.... Wooo!
(01-24-2012 08:08 AM)ronfir Wrote: Well all I can say is "your card" would go great with this one from my collection: Would make a great pair!


text:
Drilling in the six states that span the Marcellus and Utica Shale formations has produced far fewer new jobs than the industry and its supporters claim. In fact, in Pennsylvania, shale-related employment accounted for less than half a percent of total nonfarm employment in 2012 (as the figure to the right shows).
These findings come from a new report released today by the Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative — a group of research organizations, including the Keystone Research Center and Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, tracking the impacts of shale drilling.
As Frank Mauro, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute in New York and one of the authors of the report put it: "Industry supporters have exaggerated the jobs impact in order to minimize or avoid altogether taxation, regulation, and even careful examination of shale drilling."
The Marcellus and Utica shale formations span six states: New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia.
To be clear, shale drilling has created jobs, particularly in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and cushioned some drilling-intensive areas in these states from the worst effects of the Great Recession and the weak recovery. The number of actual shale jobs created, however, is far below industry claims. Shale employment remains a small share of overall employment and has made little difference in job growth in any of the six states studied.
Natural gas development in these states from 2000 to 2008 was largely fueled by high commodity prices. As prices have declined more recently, gas drilling activity has slowed while development of higher-priced oil has accelerated.
Recent trends are consistent with the boom and bust pattern that has characterized extractive industries for decades. It also points to the need for state and local policymakers to collaborate to enact policies that serve the public interest.
You can check out the full report and press release here. We'll be back here next week with more findings from the report.
]]>A major funding cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) took effect November 1, impacting 1.8 million Pennsylvanians.
SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, is our nation's first line of defense against hunger and a powerful tool to help keep families out of poverty. Benefits are modest, offering many Pennsylvania families a crucial bridge in this slow economic recovery.
The November 1 cut is the result of an expiring provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that temporarily boosted SNAP to strengthen the economy and ease hardship in the wake of the recession. The cut totals $5 billion nationwide for the remaining months of the federal fiscal year (November 2013-September 2014), including $183 million in Pennsylvania.
Nearly 66 cents of every dollar cut in Pennsylvania ($120 million) will reduce the benefits of households with children. Another 37 cents out of every dollar cut ($68 million) will reduce benefits for Pennsylvanians who are elderly or living with disabilities. Click here or on the map below to view how many people, households, and children are impacted by the cut to SNAP in each of Pennsylvania's 67 counties.
In addition to helping to feed hungry families, SNAP is one of the fastest, most effective ways to spur the economy. Every $1 increase in SNAP benefits generates about $1.70 in economic activity. Benefits boost demand for farm produce, helping to keep our nation's farms strong.
The cuts may force some Pennsylvanians to choose between food and other priorities. Ruth Vesa, a 78-year-old widow in Pittsburgh, said in August when the cuts were announced: "I'm very thankful for the food stamp program because it enables me to have good food to eat and not be worried about my medical prescriptions. Otherwise I would have to make a choice. Any cuts to the program would be hurtful to me personally."
For a family of three, the cut will likely mean a reduction of $29 a month — $319 for the remaining 11 months of the fiscal year. This is a serious loss for families whose benefits, after this cut, will average less than $1.40 per person per meal. It is the equivalent of taking away 21 meals per month for a family of four or 16 meals for a family of three.
That's the bad news. The even worse news is that additional cuts to SNAP could be on the way. In September, the U.S. House narrowly approved legislation that would cut $39 billion in SNAP funding over the next decade. The Senate has not taken up the bill.
If enacted, a cut that large would deny SNAP to approximately 3.8 million low-income people in 2014 and to an average of nearly 3 million people each year over the coming decade, according to Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates. Those who would be thrown off the program include many low-income children, seniors, and families that work for low wages.
]]>By Chris Lilienthal, Third and State
The future of Pennsylvania schools — and the quality of education every child receives — is at stake in a property tax proposal in Harrisburg.
The plan to swap property taxes for higher state levies will drain billions from Pennsylvania classrooms within a few years. Over time, it increases funding inequities across districts and makes it harder for future graduates to compete in a 21st century job market.
There is a better way. Watch our new whiteboard video to see how we can strengthen our schools, make funding more equitable, and address property tax concerns. Then share the video with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
Good schools are vital to every community and its economy. Yet the real problem, as our video explains, is that Pennsylvania trails most other states when it comes to state funding for public schools. By investing more state dollars in education, Pennsylvania can improve its schools and ease the pressure on property taxes.
In other words, we can have good schools AND help people having trouble paying their property taxes.
]]>Appearing earlier this month on a radio program in Pittsburgh with labor historian Charles McCollester, I heard for the first time the story of Margaret Mary Vojtko, a 25-year adjunct faculty member at Duquesne University who died recently in poverty at the age of 83.
Two and a half years ago, the Keystone Research Center released the most comprehensive state report in the United States on the rising use of adjunct faculty at colleges and universities. The numbers were sobering. Even if they cobbled together a full-time (10 courses per year) load at multiple institutions, adjunct community college faculty in Pennsylvania earned only about $25,000 annually. Contingent faculty members and instructors taught 42% of the courses at all public colleges and universities in Pennsylvania (versus 49% nationally). Most part-time/adjunct faculty members in Pennsylvania public higher education received no health or pension benefits.
Given cuts in state funding for higher education since we wrote our report, the situation is surely worse today in Pennsylvania.
How do we avoid a future in which a majority of higher education faculty earn less than a "quality" wage — a wage sufficient to give teachers time to prepare lessons, establish office hours, and provide feedback that increases student learning?
It would help if we honored the rights of part-time/contingent faculty to join a union — starting, for example, at Margaret Mary's Duquesne. One game-changing option would give all part-time and contingent faculty at publicly funded Pennsylvania higher education institutions the freedom to form a single statewide local union. This would enable part-time and contingent faculty to negotiate statewide wage and benefit standards and working conditions consistent with teaching excellence. (This type of geographically based union that lifts up low wages and benefits in service industries that can't relocate — because they have to be near their "customers" — is exactly what is needed to rebuild the middle class generally in Pennsylvania and the United States. See my earlier posts on fast food workers and on the 50th Anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech.")
State lawmakers also need to develop — and fund — a long-term plan for paying all higher education teachers a "quality wage." In a world both moral and rational, this could be part of a broader plan that also makes post-secondary education affordable again for students, and marries online and in-person education to lower costs while maintaining quality.
This approach starts with values — the outcomes we want for students, faculty, and taxpayers — and then uses technology, collective problem-solving, and social negotiation to create a world that honors those values. Imagine the possibilities.
The story of Margaret Mary is a sad reminder that all public policy discussion should start from values — the world we want to create and, unfortunately, the world we want to avoid.
Photo by Jayson Cassidy released under a Creative Commons license.
]]>Last week, the Marcellus Shale Coalition trumpeted a new claim on the shale drilling industry's positive impact on Pennsylvania jobs:
Raymond James analysts crunched the numbers, and between 2005 and 2012 almost 90 percent of the job growth in Pennsylvania at that time came from oil and gas jobs … That's the highest percentage of any state, according to analysts Pavel Molchanov and J. Marshall Adkins, who based the math off data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
As meaningless statistics go, this is one of the more meaningless.
Here's why: Since 2005, many states, including Pennsylvania, have created few jobs overall. Pennsylvania averaged 5,704,000 jobs in the 12 months of 2005 versus 5,746,000 for the 12 months ending August 2013 — a 42,000 increase. Given this small increase in the overall number of jobs, it doesn't take a lot of shale jobs to account for a high percentage of this increase. In other words, 90% sounds like a lot (leaving aside whether the 90% claim is even accurate), but 90% of a small number is, well, a small number.
This leads to two other points. First, why didn't Raymond James pick 2006? In Pennsylvania, the 12-month job average in 2006 was 5,755,000 — MORE than the most recent 12-month average number of 5,746,000 jobs. Since 2006, Pennsylvania has had no positive job growth, which might lead one to say the Marcellus Shale created infinity percent of the total growth in jobs in Pennsylvania since that year. In fact, with no overall job growth, drilling would have created infinity percent of the total job growth even if it had created just one positive job.
These 2006 calculations help answer why Raymond James started its analysis in 2005: 2005 is far enough back for overall job growth in virtually every state to be positive but small. Starting in 2006 would make the shale shares of overall job growth nonsensical in many states, including Pennsylvania (since overall growth was negative). And going back to 2003 or 2004 would increase overall job growth relative to shale job growth, and begin to convey the reality that shale is a small part of the overall economy. Nice job of cherry picking the period of analysis to fuel a preconceived narrative, Raymond James.
The second point is that Pennsylvania's high ranking for share of jobs coming from shale since 2005 stems partly from the state's poor recent jobs performance. If Pennsylvania's job growth since 2010 had kept pace with national job growth over the same period, we would have roughly another 100,000 jobs today. A higher number for overall job growth since 2010 — and hence since 2005 — would make the modest number of Marcellus Shale jobs created since 2005 substantially lower than 90%.
So in a strange way the Raymond James/Marcellus Shale Coalition claim about shale job growth since 2005 is partly a celebration of Pennsylvania's disappointing overall job growth since 2010. Does the Marcellus Shale Coalition really mean to draw attention to this?
Photo from Marcellus Protest licensed under Creative Commons
The latest proposal to eliminate property taxes in Pennsylvania would leave school districts with $2.6 billion less in overall funding within five years, according to an analysis from the Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office. Matthew Knittel of the IFO presented the findingsduring a Pennsylvania Senate Finance Committee hearing Tuesday.
The plan — proposed in both HB 76 and SB 76 — would swap school property taxes for higher state income and sales taxes, largely on individuals. The IFO, which did not take a position on the bill, compared what could be expected from the new mix of state funding to projected property tax revenue over time and tallied the fiscal impact on school districts and state government.
Much like with previous versions of this property tax plan, the numbers don't add up. The IFO projects school districts would receive $112 million less in funding than they would have received from property taxes in 2014-15, which grows to $2.6 billion by 2018-19
The reason is fairly simple. The bills place an artificial limit (the lower of sales tax growth or rate of inflation) on how much in new income and sales tax dollars go to school districts to replace lost property taxes in future years. This is true even if those state tax collections exceed the caps, as they likely would in most years. The bill does not address how schools are to pay for increasing pension obligations, let alone costs for health care, supplies, or utilities that may increase in price faster than inflation.
Like all tax swaps, this one picks winners and losers — with Pennsylvania's school students and the state's future among the biggest losers.
Corporations, which pay about 30% of all property taxes and are among the largest taxpayers in many districts, would come out as big winners. Their school property taxes would be eliminated, but unlike individuals or small businesses, corporations would pay no more in state taxes. Instead, their share of school funding would be shifted to individuals and small business owners who pay income taxes and consumers who pay sales tax. (Many goods and services purchased by businesses would remain exempt from the state sales tax under this plan).
Renters, including many seniors, would see higher sales tax and income tax bills, but little "relief" in the form of lower rent payments. For low-income families, this plan is Robin Hood in reverse, with poor renters paying higher taxes to subsidize tax cuts for wealthy property owners.
For non-elderly homeowners, it's a mixed bag. Homeowners would see their local property taxes decline, but their state income taxes would rise. Many homeowners would also see their federal taxes increase, as they would lose a deduction for paying property taxes.
Many school districts have already adopted earned income taxes to reduce dependence on property taxes. Taxpayers in those districts would pay increased state taxes to subsidize property tax cuts in other parts of the state.
The change could make houses in Pennsylvania less affordable in the future. When California adopted property tax limits, it saw housing prices skyrocket.
Many seniors and people with medical conditions would have to pay sales tax on an array of health care goods and services.
Finally, schools would receive much less than they need to help students succeed. Good schools are the lifeblood of a community and its economy. If we shortchange our schools, how will Pennsylvania ever prepare better workers for tomorrow's economy or attract and retain businesses that need skilled workers?
Paying property taxes are a real problem for some homeowners and in some specific areas of the state. We should address those concerns with targeted reforms rather than a one-size-fits-all approach that has been adopted nowhere else in the nation. Some of the reform efforts, like Act 1 of 2006, have helped moderate property tax growth — and the IFO report reflects that. Many districts have adopted earned income taxes to lessen reliance on property taxes.
The most effective way to ease Pennsylvania's over-reliance on local sources for school funding is to increase the state's support of education. Pennsylvania trails most states in state funding for schools, creating tremendous inequities across districts. A good education should not depend on where a child lives. The state needs to make — and keep — a commitment to provide a larger share of school funding. That is the key to a healthier economy and a better Pennsylvania.
]]>A key reform in the Affordable Care Act requires health insurers to spend 80% to 85% of premium dollars directly on medical care or quality improvement expenses as opposed to other administrative costs, marketing, or profits. If an insurer does not meet the standard, it must provide rebates to consumers or businesses.
Insurers issued $1.1 billion in rebates to nearly 13 million consumers for 2011, the first year the rule was in effect, and are expected to return more than $500 million in rebates to 8.5 million consumers for 2012. The 2012 figures include nearly $6.9 million that will be returned to 123,581 Pennsylvania consumers — an average of $77 per family.
These rebates are among the more tangible ways that consumers have benefited from the law so far, but it is important to remember, as researchers with the Kaiser Family Foundation recently noted, that rebates represent only a portion of the savings to consumers from this provision, known formally as the "Medical Loss Ratio" Rule (MLR):
]]>The primary role of an MLR threshold is to encourage insurers to spend a certain percentage of premium dollars on health care and quality improvement expenses (80 percent in the individual and small group market and 85 percent in the large group market). The MLR rebate requirement operates as a backstop if insurers do not set premiums at a level where they would be paying out the minimally acceptable share of premiums back as benefits…
Consumers and businesses, therefore, can realize savings in two ways as a result of the MLR requirement: by paying lower premiums than they would have been charged otherwise (as a result of lower administrative costs and profits), or by receiving rebates after the fact.
Nutrition assistance is our nation's first line of defense against hunger and a powerful tool to help keep families out of poverty. Come November, this critical federal assistance will be cut, making it that much more difficult for 1.8 million Pennsylvanians to put food on the table for themselves and their families.
The November cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the program formerly known as food stamps, will impact all of the more than 47 million Americans, including 22 million children, who receive benefits. It will likely amount to a reduction of $29 a month in benefits for a family of three — $319 in all through September 2014. This is a serious loss for families whose benefits, after this cut, will average less than $1.40 per person per meal.
To put the cut in some perspective, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates it will equal out to 21 lost meals per month for a family of four or 16 lost meals per month for a family of three.
A majority of those who receive SNAP benefits are children and the elderly, for whom food assistance is essential. SNAP helps nearly one in three children in the U.S. get enough to eat. All 22 million of them will see their benefits cut in November.
Elderly Pennsylvanians will also be affected. People like Ruth Vesa, a 78-year-old widow in Pittsburgh and Just Harvest client, who said: "I'm very thankful for the food stamp program because it enables me to have good food to eat and not be worried about my medical prescriptions. Otherwise I would have to make a choice. Any cuts to the program would be hurtful to me personally."
In addition to helping to feed hungry families, SNAP is one of the fastest, most effective ways to spur the economy. Every $1 increase in SNAP benefits generates about $1.70 in economic activity. Benefits boost demand for farm produce, helping to keep our nation's farms strong.
So why is it being cut? The cut is the result of an expiring provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that temporarily boosted SNAP benefits to strengthen the economy and ease hardship in the wake of the recession. This small increase has been a lifeline for many Pennsylvanians, a majority of whom work but earn low wages. It has allowed them to stay afloat during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
Even though the economy is still weak and families are still struggling, Congress has not acted to extend the modest increase in nutrition assistance beyond November. In fact, the U.S. House of Representatives could vote on cutting the program by $20 billion or more in the coming weeks. If enacted, such cuts could leave many families and their children without assistance to put food on the table when they need it most.
That is the wrong path for the wellbeing of our nation, the health of our families, and the growth of our economy.
]]>"This is what democracy looks like." Even though this chant originated with the Seattle protests against the World Trade Organization (WTO), which haven't yet led to major reforms, the phrase nonetheless captures the idea of a social movement that has crystallized its demands and has a better chance to succeed because of it. Other examples include the right to vote in the civil rights movement, or the fight to legalize gay marriage, a simple modern demand that culminates a fight for equality in all its dimensions.
One challenge in the U.S. fight for economic justice since inequality began to yawn wider in the 1970s has been the lack of a simple demand that either working people or elites thought could bring back the middle class. Having such a demand fuels social movements because it gives members of the movement confidence — conviction — that there is a way for the world to give them what they want. It also fuels social movements because it gives the broader society a way to let the protesters get a win.
The fast food workers engaging in one-day strikes across the country may be on the verge of crystallizing a simple demand to which their low-wage employers could accede — and, in the process, cracking the code to the next U.S. middle class.
Today's story on these strikes in The New York Times says that the organizers aren't actually clear yet on the path to victory. The demand is a $15-per-hour wage — a ticket to the middle class. But will progress result from a higher minimum wage, local living wage requirements for big chains, or companies themselves raising wages to get off the front page? (This is where you say in your best pompous pundit voice, "Well, ah, um, cough, good question.")
Because these protesters have a practical, confident vision of the end point they want — an economy that pays lower-wage workers a middle-class wage (so what if Big Macs cost 50 cents more) — they have a good chance of finding the mechanism that can get them there and keep them there (or forcing the rest of us to figure out the mechanism).
I think the mechanism is pretty simple — it's a union of all fast food workers in a metro area, across multiple companies. It would borrow heavily from building trades union models, such as electricians and carpenters. It would set area-wide wages, $15 an hour to start, as well as establish multi-employer health and pension plans. Most of the basic institutional solutions here were anticipated by SEIU's Justice for Janitors campaigns going back to the late 1980s. Former KRC Research Director Howard Wial wrote a brilliant article about this back in 1993. Howard, another colleague, and I wrote a shorter version of the same pitch in the house organ of the Democratic Leadership Council (The New Democrat) in 1998. These ideas also overlap those in Dishing It Out, a history of waitress unions published by Dorothy Sue Cobble in 1991, in part because Cobble recognized the relevance of these unions to the contemporary low-wage service sector.
The same basic union model works in any service industry sector that cannot relocate because it has to be near customers — in other words, for virtually all the nation's low-wage jobs. This includes workers in hotels, supermarkets, hardware stores, and other parts of retail; in non-fast-food restaurants; in child care, long-term care, and health care as a whole — doctors and some nurses are well paid, but too often workers on the lower end of the pay scale do not get middle-class wages even though their compensation is a small fraction of health-care costs. The generic formula: $15 per hour starting wage, decent benefits, and, if some businesses and policymakers are smart about it, more investment in training and the creation of career ladders.
This is what the middle class looks like.
If we can cross the Rubicon to this type of institutional solution and lock in $15 per hour in just one or two places, it will take off. We'll have a mass variation on the old line from When Harry Met Sally — "I'll have what she's having." Except, in this case, it will be, "I'll have that kind of unionism New York, or Chicago, or St. Louis fast food workers are having." This take-off would be analogous to when the United Auto Workers broke the code to establish a union at GM after the Flint sit-down strike, which paved the way for unionism at Chrysler, Ford, GE, Westinghouse, and in the steel industry. It paved the way for industry-wide wages and benefits through mass manufacturing. And the American middle class was born with employers paying, who knows, maybe twice what they paid before the upsurge.
So, with respect, I disagree with labor historian Nelson Lichtenstein who says in The New York Times that these protests won't lead to unionization.
Of course, to paraphrase an old joke about economists and recessions ("I've predicted seven of the last three recessions"), I've predicted three of the last zero "New Deals for a New Economy."
Still, I stand by my conviction. This IS what the middle class looks like. And it's just right there, waiting to be born.
Photo by Justin Mitchell released under a Creative Commons Share Alike license.
]]>Jennifer Stefano, the Pennsylvania director of Americans for Prosperity, published an op-ed in the Harrisburg Patriot-News Friday — the latest salvo in an organized right-wing assault on nutrition assistance and other safety net spending.
The op-ed claims that the number of Americans who receive some kind of subsidized food assistance is at more than 101 million and "has surpassed the number of full-time private-sector workers in our country." Actually, there are 114 million private-sector workers in the United States, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data for June 2013, but who's counting.
Americans for Prosperity is a conservative advocacy group funded in part by the Koch Brothers. It is the 1% looking out for the interests of the 1%.
As I noted, Jennifer Stefano's op-ed is part of a larger campaign to cut safety net spending. Food stamp spending in the current slow economy has temporarily risen to about 0.5% of GDP, from about 0.33% of GDP in the early 1980s recession. Of course, that recession was much shorter and shallower nationally than the recent Great Recession.
Today food assistance remains well targeted: 85% of households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, have gross incomes below the poverty line; 98.5% have disposable (or "net") incomes below the poverty line. SNAP provides only $1.50 per person per meal and is scheduled to drop to $1.30 per person per meal in November. (Stefano has nothing to say about the preservation of farm subsidies for agribusiness — the most generous "food program" in the United States.)
Stefano presents the temporary growth in food assistance as a "kitchen table" issue. Let's put it in perspective. Another kitchen table issue is the dramatic decline in the share of the economic pie going to the vast 99% of Americans — because the share going to the top 1% has risen by about 10 percentage points, The temporary increase in food stamps spending is thus about 1/50 the size of the not-so-temporary increase in the share of income going to the Koch Brothers and, I'm guessing, other funders of Americans for Prosperity.
Stefano's piece is part of a well-oiled effort to distract middle-class families from the real cause of their economic struggles. When you look at the facts, that cause is not rising taxes or spending on social programs. It's the rise in economic inequality (and, to a lesser degree, the fall in taxes paid by the more affluent).
Here's hoping that Pennsylvanians and Americans will keep their eyes on the ball and not fall for the obfuscations of groups like Stefano's.
By Stephen Herzenberg, Third and State


text:
Tue, Jun 29, 10 at 0:34
I picked one up at a Ct.nursery last week; green/wh/pk splashed shiny quince-like leaves. The nursery is z.5b and the owner told me i'd have no trouble growing it. I've posted this query in Shrubs and Perennials but no one has responded. I know you lucky dog PNWers grow so many things that we cannot in new eng>> do any of you grow this and have you heard anyth about it being z.5 hardy(even though that would not be a concern for you, i know.)?
Thanks for your help. Is your summer weather going well for you this yr.? We used to visit annually but have skipped the last few years.We just might pop back out there this summer.I really miss the air out there.and the mountains. and the gardens. and the nurseries. and the restaurants. and the air. mindy www.cottonarboretum.com/ |
Follow-Up Postings:
I had one Stranvaesia davidiana. It resembled Photinia in a vague way. I kept my tree small. It can reseed prolifically. I think it is considered invasive. It seems to like a sunny place in poor soil with good drainage to maintain good form. I know nothing about the variety, 'Palette'. Is it a form of undulata that grows more like a shrub instead of a tree? We had a warm winter and our spring has been cooler than normal. Our summer starts just after the 4th of July. |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Northwestern Gardening Forum
Information about Posting
- You must be logged in to post a message. Once you are logged in, a posting window will appear at the bottom of the messages. If you are not a member, please register for an account.
- Please review our Rules of Play before posting.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review your post, make changes and upload photos.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- Before posting copyrighted material, please read about Copyright and Fair Use.
- We have a strict no-advertising policy!
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
Learn more about in-text links on this page here


text:
Dr. Len's Cancer Blog
It's October and that means we are about to see a lot of pink for the next 31 days. And virtually all of the work comes down to one simple -some might say overly simple-message: get a mammogram.
But as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), begins, I find myself one again asking some difficult questions: Are we really looking at the right side of the equation? Is it all about mammograms? Is there more to the story? The answer is absolutely unequivocal and without a moments hesitation: YES! More...
Filed Under:
Access to care | Breast Cancer | Cancer Care | Colon Cancer | Early detection | Environment | Exercise | Media | Medicare | Medications | Prevention | Prostate Cancer | Rectal Cancer | Research | Screening | Survivors | Treatment
I had an interesting day this past week. Sadly, it left me wondering why the same "hope and hype" directed at cancer patients and their families decades ago when I started my oncology career was still alive and well today. But then, maybe I am the naïve one to think that anything should have really changed.
In the morning I found out that a story I had been interviewed for a story which appeared on the Kaiser Health News website. A discussion about proton beam therapy for cancer (PBT), it basically pointed out that insurers aren't necessarily paying for the treatment and that the information supporting its use is not as definitive as some would hope or claim.
Not long after, I was informed of an online discussion on Twitter (called a "tweet chat" at #protonbeam) being hosted by a major medical institution and a well-known weekly newsmagazine on the very topic of proton beam therapy, or PBT. What I watched unfold over the hour-long discussion was what I call a "scrum" of doctors and public relations people promoting proton beam therapy as the answer to many cancer treatment dilemmas with nary a word about the limitations of our knowledge or potential problems with the treatment. It was all about "we can do it, call us and we will tell you how good we are, and insurers won't pay us." Simply stated, the "conversation" seemed to be glancing by some of the inconvenient facts surrounding what has become another poster story for how we develop and promote new treatments in medicine, let alone cancer care. More...
Access to care | Breast Cancer | Cancer Care | Cervical Cancer | Colon Cancer | Lung Cancer | Media | Medicare | Other cancers | Prostate Cancer | Radiation Therapy | Rectal Cancer | Research | Survivors | Treatment
It was the picture (see below) that, to me, said it all: a 96 year old woman -- one of the first patients in the world to receive a brand new cancer drug--, and a large tumor on her neck had melted completely away. But it was the smile on her lips that you couldn't avoid noticing. More...
Access to care | Cancer Care | Media | Medicare | Medications | Melanoma | Other cancers | Research | Survivors | Treatment
An article published this week in the American Cancer Society journal CA: A Journal for Clinicians received a lot of media attention. The report showed dramatic declines in the rate of people being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, as well as decreases in the rates of colorectal cancer deaths over the past number of years.
But the press didn't say much about the fact that not everyone has benefitted from the progress we have made in the prevention, early detection, and improved treatment for colorectal cancer. It is a sad but very real commentary on how we approach health care in this country that African Americans have not benefitted equally from this progress in treating a cancer that for many people can be prevented or effectively treated when found before it spreads to other parts of the body.
As a nation, I believe it is incumbent that we address this glaring health disparity. To do less is unacceptable. More...
Access to care | Colon Cancer | Diet | Early detection | Environment | Media | Medicare | Medications | Prevention | Rectal Cancer | Research | Screening | Treatment
There was a memorable scene in the movie "The Graduate" from 1967. You may know it or have heard of it, when the older man turns to the college graduate and says the future is all about one word: "plastics."
Well, plastics may have been then, but this is now. And the core themes I keep hearing these days there are two central ones that our becoming our new "plastics" in medicine: genomics and big data. Words that didn't mean much to most people a year or so ago now occupy front and center discussions at every level, not to mention are the topics of a number of meetings I have attended recently.
This past week I went to one of those meetings (sponsored by e Health Initiative) where over 450 people spent two days hearing from experts about the meaning, uses, and precautions that come along with "big data" in medical care. (Interestingly, there were also several presentations on the intersection of genomics and big data. So the two are definitely not mutually exclusive.)
Not that medicine is unique: big data is transforming much of the way we live and the way we experience life. What is different about medical care is that we are so far behind everyone else when it comes to adopting and effectively using information technology and data analysis to improve healthcare. But that is quickly changing. The power of technology is just beginning to impact health care as hospitals and doctors' offices increasingly adopt (and adapt to) health information technology, but it takes lots of resources and commitment--both human and financial--to make that happen. More...
Access to care | Cancer Care | Media | Medicare | Research
It is a disarmingly simple idea: create a blue button logo with a download moniker on it and let it loose so people can actually download, review, and keep their own medical records. But simple on the surface masks complexity below a revolutionary concept: that patients are not only the subject of the records, but that they own those records, and through that ownership can actually be partners in their care or even improve their own health.
That was the topic of a meeting I attended yesterday at the White House, where representatives of government, health technology vendors, consumer groups, and others interested in advancing the role and usefulness of health information technology came together to give updates on the progress of the "Blue Button" program, review the current state of affairs, and pledge to advance the concept going forward. And I was honored to be invited to join this knowledgeable and committed group on behalf of the American Cancer Society.
When you think about it, patients with cancer and other serious illnesses should be clamoring for this to become the routine and not the exception. As I have written before, it is difficult enough to hear that you have cancer and are going to need complicated treatment. But that is just the beginning of what can be a very tortuous journey for patients and their caregivers through the cancer treatment maze. Complex diagnoses, loads of records, and no way to have the health information communicated easily from one place to another is just one more way that the quality of life of cancer patients is impacted by their illness.
Why do we tolerate this? I don't know, that's for sure. As patients we should be our own advocates. We should be expecting--no, demanding--a more transparent and efficient system of care. And getting our information in our hands is just one way to make that happen. The people in that room yesterday are committed to the concept that you own your medical information and should have access to it,, and that we are obligated to make to find a simple and straight forward way to get your medical information to you and to anyone you choose to share it with, whether that be a doctor, a family member, or a company or organization you want to help you organize and understand that information. More...
Access to care | Cancer Care | Medicare | Treatment
(Author's note: The following blog was posted today on the "Science Update Blog" hosted by Cancer Research UK, where you can read it in its entirety. My thanks to Cancer Research UK and especially to Oliver Childs who made this opportunity available.)
Expert opinion: a US perspective on beating cancer
Posted on September 6, 2012 by Oliver Childs
Dr Len Lichtenfeld is deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society. We invited Len to share his thoughts about our shared challenge of beating cancer.
As well as giving his unique perspective on the US's "war on cancer", Dr Len writes about the similarities and differences between the US and UK in our approaches to preventing, detecting and treating the disease:
It has been a long slog since we started our war on cancer here in the United States in 1971.
At times I am not certain that this has been so much of a war as opposed to a series of skirmishes that occasionally have produced incredible moments of optimism. But there have been a fair share of frustrations as well along the way. Our science and our care have made significant progress, but sometimes we find ourselves asking, "What have you done for me lately?"
I think it is important to reflect on the progress that we have made on several fronts in detecting cancer earlier, treating it more effectively and providing quality of care for those who find themselves caught in the jaws of illness, especially for those whose journey has not been successful. More...
Access to care | Breast Cancer | Cancer Care | Early detection | Medicare | Medications | Prevention | Prostate Cancer | Radiation Therapy | Screening | Treatment
Today the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Margaret Hamburg, announced that the FDA is withdrawing approval of Avastin® (bevacizumab) for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
This announcement culminates a highly watched process where the FDA determined that although it had granted accelerated approval for the use of this drug in treating breast cancer, subsequent studies did not demonstrate in any group of women that Avastin® actually helped patients in any meaningful way, while causing significant harms-including death.
In the accelerated approval process, the FDA permits a company to market a drug for a specific indication, usually in a life threatening disease, while allowing the company to perform additional trials to confirm the value of the drug. After those trials are done, under this form of approval, the FDA reserves the right to revoke that approval if the original promise of the drug is not confirmed. That is what has happened with Avastin® in breast cancer.
As difficult as this decision has been for the FDA, it is even more difficult for women (and their loved ones and their doctors) who believe that Avastin® has saved their lives. The Commissioner emphasized that she was acutely aware of that concern in making her determination, but she underlined the fact that when the science was carefully reviewed, there was no evidence of meaningful benefit of Avastin® in breast cancer treatment.
The full impact of this decision is difficult to determine at this time. More...
Breast Cancer | Cancer Care | Medicare | Medications | Other cancers | Treatment
Are we the victims of our own success?
That may be an unusual-and some would say offensive-way to open a discussion of cancer survivorship. I mean it only with the best of intentions, for when it comes to cancer survivorship over the past 40 years, there is much to be grateful for. But that doesn't mean the journey has been without difficulty, and it doesn't mean that there isn't much more to do.
Last week, in Washington, DC, LIVESTRONG brought together over 120 experts on the issues surrounding cancer survivorship to do something reasonable and fairly straightforward: define the essential elements of survivorship that every cancer patient, their loved ones and caregivers should expect once the acute treatment part of their journey has been completed. What's amazing is that no one has been able to do this before.
Having those experts in one room at one place at one time brought into focus the enormous task we face in trying to define those elements, let alone how we configure our systems of care to provide those services in a world where care is becoming more diffuse and resources for anything other than the most necessary care are dwindling on an almost daily basis.
It wasn't always this way. More...
Access to care | Cancer Care | Medicare | Research | Treatment
I bet there was a huge collective sigh of relief about the land among men with prostate cancer, their families, their physicians and especially the company involved when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)-which runs the Medicare program-announced their decision this afternoon to cover the new cancer immunotherapy treatment for advanced prostate cancer, called Provenge®, under Medicare.
The stakes are huge: I suspect the market (and cost to Medicare) will run into potentially billions of dollars, yet the benefits for all of that money at first glance seem to be modest.
Ordinarily, the outcome in favor of approval would have been as close to certain as possible.
After all, this new treatment for prostate cancer did increase the survival of men with asymptomatic advanced prostate cancer that no longer responds to hormone treatment. But the treatment doesn't prevent progression of the disease, there isn't much data to show that men live a better quality of life after receiving Provenge®, and then there is the key statistic: it will cost $93,000 for each treatment-without including the associated costs for doctor visits and everything else that comes along with cancer treatments.
So the specter of the government saying "No more!" to expensive drugs with "limited" benefits has passed for the moment, but I promise the debate is just getting started. Consider this the preliminary round in a heavyweight match-up between Uncle Sam and the pharmaceutical companies that charge lots of money for their new treatments. More...
Access to care | Cancer Care | Medicare | Medications | Prostate Cancer | Treatment
J. Leonard Lichtenfeld, MD, MACP - Dr. Lichtenfeld is Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the national office of the American Cancer Society.


text:
Browse Physics
Valid search terms include: subject, keyword, author of article, author of highlighted article, article citation (e.g. Physics 3, 16 (2011))
A new scheme for cooling a mechanical oscillator in a cavity may allow the observation of quantum effects on macroscopic objects and the realization of ultrasensitive gravitational-wave detectors.
Researchers generated an electron beam with very high orbital angular momentum—potentially good for atomic-scale images of the magnetism in materials.
An array of nanometer-sized aluminum pyramids acts as a directional antenna for light, and the direction depends on wavelength.
A laser-driven particle accelerator, delivering a beam of electrons with a record-breaking energy of 4.2 giga-electron-volts, could lead to compact x-ray lasers or high-energy colliders.
The polarization of an intense laser beam can theoretically be controlled by mixing it with a second beam in a plasma.


text:
Tue, Nov 4, 08 at 23:26
Trying to propagate ficus repens (creeping fig).Cuttings die before any roots form.I need about 300 of these to plant at base of ugly rock wall. All thoughts appreciated. |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by orchidguyftl z10 FTL FL (My Page) on Thu, Nov 6, 08 at 11:01
cuttings dont do too well best to run growths along soil and let them start to root once they have good roots, cot off and pot up if you cut them at 3 to 4 node intervals, they should sprout rather quickly |
300? That better be at least a half-mile of wall. You are talking about one of the fastest growing, most invasive vines you can plant. Here in South Florida, I usually figure a single one-gallon plant for every 20 feet of wall. |
fernridge has got it right. 1 gallon ficus repens will fully cover 20' width and up as high as you let it go. Not a lot of maintenance to work with either. Water once a week with 30 minuites of light misting irrigation. To get a noticible result with the repens, I like to use panels of 4' x 8' HardyBoard secured to walls at entrance areas along with 2" x 6" edge band moulding on all vertical and any overhead spans. Seal it with Exterior Primer and Paint with lighter shades of choice to allow the repens to create a dramatic and elegant effect. You won't be dissapointed. Give it a year and take photos each month. A great reward will be yours. |
Thanks for info so far I have failed at any attempt to propagate. I ordered the one gallon and will follow instructions. I have only huge boulder walls or sheer rock I want to cover. Just want to look at green. I have propagated all my large fig leaf ficus and ficus benjemina with no problem this little one is a challenge. Also dumb question will it act as a ground cover on a 40% grade? Seems like if it goes up it should go down??? Thanks in advance |
- Posted by orchidguyftl z10 FTL FL (My Page) on Tue, Nov 18, 08 at 12:14
yes it will creep down too |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Tropicals Forum
Information about Posting
- You must be logged in to post a message. Once you are logged in, a posting window will appear at the bottom of the messages. If you are not a member, please register for an account.
- Please review our Rules of Play before posting.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review your post, make changes and upload photos.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- Before posting copyrighted material, please read about Copyright and Fair Use.
- We have a strict no-advertising policy!
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
Learn more about in-text links on this page here


text:
Artist: Transit
Album: Joyride
Genre: Indie, Pop-Punk, Alternative
Label: Rise Records
Transit has been through a roller coaster ride as a band in the past couple years. After releasing the widely loved Listen & Forgive, their world changed quickly with how they went from stage-diving pop-punk in Keep This To Yourself to the indie rock vibe that they had adapted for the latter record. Then Young New England was released and total outrage came at the band's expense in that they were scrutinized for the album that was produced. Now, the band has put out a new record in …


text:
The models below are most certainly having a good hair day—with a little help from Japanese floral artist Takaya. Using fresh-cut blooms, berries, leaves, and even stuffed birds, Takaya crafts monumental wearable sculptures that are sure to turn heads. [Read more…]
Danmalas: Meditative Arrangements of Flower Petals
Kathy Klein is an avid lover of plants and the divine presence they can bring to other living beings. She creates "danmalas" as a way to share her passion for life. In Vedic sanskrit dān means "the giver," and mālā means "garland of flowers". She does just this, giving away her arrangements of petals and bulbs, which resemble mandalas. [Read more…]
Mosaic Faces Accompany A Spread For Psychology Today
For a magazine spread about love, fear, and change, Antonio Rodrigues Jr. re-edited some of his early illustration work. The unique portraits have mosaic features in swirls of nature. Birds, butterflies, and flowers swarm the portraits and text in a special style. The article asks three questions. Who do we love? Why do we change? What do we fear? [Read more…]
One More Reason To Grow Out Your Beard
You don't have to stop to smell the roses when they are right under your nose! Aside from upping a man's awesomeness level, beards can also be the perfect medium for a floral arrangement. The men below are starting a new fashion trend which would be the perfect accompaniment to the floral crowns that ladies have been wearing lately. Flower Power is not just for women and these manly bearded men are proud to show off their softer sides. Why buy flowers for your lover when you can become a walking bouquet? [Read more…]
This Artist Launched Plants Into the Stratosphere
Flowers are one of the most beautiful gifts from nature, but they look even more beautiful contrasted with the deep abyss of space. Japanese artist Azuma Makoto along with John Powell, of JP Aerospace, and a 10-person crew team, launched a white pine bonsai in a light metal frame as well as a bouquet 30 flower species including peace lilies, hydrangeas, and orchids into the stratosphere. These floral installations were sent into space in the dead of night at 2am from the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, which hosts Burning Man. The called their mission Exobiotanica and with 6 Go Pro video cameras and still cameras donated by Fuji Film, the team was able to capture the beautiful sight. [Read more…]
This 3D Printed Flower Bouquet on Kickstarter Will Blow Your Mind
Launched recently on Kickstarter, Joshua Harker has created the most astounding 3D printed flower bouquet. Made up of 12 different re-arrangeable flowers, a lotus lilly pad and a vase that beautifully imitates ripping water, the combined shapes are composed of a massive 1,918,416 different triangles. The wild thing is, these are just his Kickstarter "thank you" gifts. [Read more…]
Fashion Illustrations Sketched with Real Flower Petals
Women's fashion has often been compared to flowers, but what about using real flowers to create the design itself? Grace Ciao is making beautiful and delicate fashion illustrations using flower petals to "sketch" the pattern and print. Each soft and impermanent petal adds a flowing, scalloped form to her design, giving a result which appears fashionable and (surprise) even wearable. Very creative. [Read more…]
Suspended Fields of Flowers from Rebecca Louise Law
East London floral artist Rebecca Louise Law is elevating the art form with her sublime arrangements of floating flowers. Her site specific works see fields of hundreds or thousands of flowers, wild or cultivated, suspended high above the floor on nearly invisible threads. Her work fills the sky with color, inviting visitors to looks up and interact in a unique experience that combines nature and architecture. [Read more…]
Repurposed 'BaskeTREE' Sculptures by Amy Santoferraro
Amy Santoferraro looks at a cheaply produced kitsch object and thinks, "Wow, that would make really great art." After experiencing this sculpture I began to realize that I am being blinded to the true visual beauty of kitsch. Somehow, that same type of cheap plastic makes it's way into my life and I end up resenting it, first, because its doesn't look nice next to my iPod, and second, because I am going to have to put it in a landfill and feel bad about it. The color of that old easter basket is actually kind of nice… and the texture of that dish-sponge is incredible… and that fly-swatter! Amy Santoferraro removes the immediate functional connotations from everyday objects and reinvents them as playful landscape compositions in a series she calls 'BaskeTREE.' [Read more…]
Harvard Scientist Grows Microscopic Flowers
Inside a tiny beaker of water Harvard scientist Wim L. Noorduin has managed to coax chemicals into beautiful and delicate microscopic flowers. On a micron scale he and his colleagues have produced arrangements of crystals that resemble natural forms from roses to broad leaves… and the kicker? They self-assembled! That's right, these aren't just pretty pictures from an electron microscope, but a new look at how structures form chemically in nature. [Read more…]


text:
United States, Civil War and Later Pension Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)Edit This Page
From FamilySearch Wiki
This article describes a collection of historical records available at FamilySearch.org. | |
Access the records: Civil War Pension Index Cards .
Contents |
Collection Time Period
The bulk of index cards imaged on this publication refer to pension applications of veterans who served in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1865 (U.S. Civil War). Other pension records include those of the Spanish-American conflict, Indian wars, the Philippine insurrection, and the first year (1917) of U.S. involvement in World War I.
Record Description
The index is handwritten on preprinted cards with one individual per card.
Record Content
The Civil War pension index includes the following genealogical information:
- Name of the person claiming the pension
- Service record of the soldier, including rank, company, and regiment
- Enlistment date
- Discharge date
- Date pension was filed
- Whether an invalid, widow, or minor
- Application number
- Certificate number
- Additional service information, including company and regiment
- Death date of the soldier
- Death place of the soldier
How to Use the Records
To begin your search you will need to know the following:
- Full name
- Approximate dates of service
If you are having difficulty finding your ancestor, look for variations in the spelling of the name. If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
Compare the information in the record to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.
When you have located your ancestor's record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. This information will often lead you to other records.
For example:
- Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date.
- Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records.
You may also find these search tips helpful:
- Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
- Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been seeking the pension.
- When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
Record History
The index was produced to provide easier access to the full pension application files. These records cover about 40 percent of soldiers who served in the Civil War or their widows and minor children.
Why the Record Was Created
Pensions were issued to compensate Civil War veterans and their widows and minor children for their service.
Record Reliability
Pension applications are usually reliable.
Related Websites
FamilySearch Learning Center Civil War Pension Research; Union Soldiers
FamilySearch Learning Center Civil War Research: Learning about Your Union Veteran Ancestor
Related Wiki Articles
- Union Pension Records
- United States Civil War 1861-1865, Part 1
- United States Civil War 1861-1865, Part 2
Contributions to This Article
We welcome user additions to FamilySearch Historical Records wiki articles. Guidelines are available to help you make changes. Thank you for any contributions you may provide. If you would like to get more involved join the WikiProject FamilySearch Records. |
Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.
A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.
Example of a Source Citation for a Record Found in This Collection
"Civil War Pension Index Cards." index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org: accessed March 18, 2011). entry for Thomas Moore, served in Pennsylvania Calvary; citing ; NARA publication number T289; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.
"Civil War Pension Index Cards," index, FamilySearch; from the National Archives. "Organization index to pension files of veterans who served between 1861 and 1900-[1917]." National Archives, Washington, D.C. FHL microfilm, 765 reels. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Information about creating source citations for FamilySearch Historical Collections is listed in the wiki article Help:How to Create Source Citations for FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.
Need additional research help? Contact our research help specialists.
Need wiki, indexing, or website help? Contact our product teams.
Did you find this article helpful?
You're invited to explain your rating on the discussion page (you must be signed in).
New to the Research Wiki?
In the FamilySearch Research Wiki, you can learn how to do genealogical research or share your knowledge with others.
Learn More


text:
On TV Tonight Recaps TV listings
Books Cover Story Focus on Style
The weight of Gary Reid's knowledge of the lives, times and music of the Stanley Brothers is evidenced by the heft of his new book.
She strikes just the right balance between sharing with readers and preserving her privacy. There are no gory details about her divorce and even her most interesting friendships are kept somewhat close to the vest.
The museum's spring exhibition usually highlights selections from the permanent collection and, this year, Director Martha Johnson and staffers decided to solicit suggestions from the college's faculty.
A staging of David Ives' adaption of Georges Feydeau's farce "A Flea in Her Ear" opens this week.
"Everything's Coming Up Roses," produced by Atlantic Records, dropped earlier this week. In it, band members Jarrod Gorbel and Blake Sennett combine their indie-rock background with '80s-inspired tracks and a hip-hop danceability
NewsAdvance.com , Lynchburg, VA © 2015 BH Media Group Holdings, Inc. Powered by BLOX Content Management System from TownNews.com. [Terms of Use]


text:
{{ title }}
{{ link.name }}Keywords
- Appear,
- Boston - Massachusetts,
- Boston Bruins,
- Concentration,
- Fan - Enthusiast,
- Horizontal,
- Ice,
- Ice Hockey,
- Jaromir Jágr,
- Jumper,
- Long,
- Massachusetts,
- Mullet,
- National Hockey League,
- Occupation,
- Panoramic,
- Pre Game,
- Smiled,
- Sport,
- Sports Team,
- Variation,
- War Veteran,
- Warming Up,
- Wig,
- Winger,
- gestured,
As the Bruins were doing their pregame warmups eight fans all... News Photo 167533513Appear,Boston - Massachusetts,Boston Bruins,Concentration,Fan - Enthusiast,Horizontal,Ice,Ice Hockey,Jaromir Jágr,Jumper,Long,Massachusetts,Mullet,National Hockey League,Occupation,Panoramic,Pre Game,Smiled,Sport,Sports Team,USA,Variation,War Veteran,Warming Up,Wig,Winger,gesturedPhotographer Boston GlobeCollection: Boston Globe 2013 - The Boston GlobeBOSTON - APRIL 25: As the Bruins were doing their pre-game warmups, eight fans, all sporting mullet wigs and each wearing a Jaromir Jagr sweater, one from all of the different teams he has played for over his long career, appeared to finally get the attention of the veteran winger on the ice and they smiled and gestured towards him. After they had finally done it, they all walked out together with the various 'Jagr 68''s on their respective backs. The Boston Bruins hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning in a regular season NHL game at the TD Garden. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)


text:
Chester have made four players available for loan, including Paul Butler and Tony Dinning.
Paul Butler and Tony Dinning have signed 12-month contract extensions with Chester.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle have rejected claims that the club tried to tap up two Chester players.
Chester chairman Stephen Vaughan hopes that Tony Dinning will extend his stay by another year.
Tony Dinning is poised to join Chester on a one-year deal following his release by Stockport.
Tony Dinning has left Stockport after the club agreed to terminate his contract.
Watch every goal from every game in the Football League on your computer, mobile or tablet...


text:
Michael Dean Rucker (born February 28, 1975) is a former American football defensive end who played eight seasons for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Nebraska, and was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft.
Register to update information, save favorites, post photos, news stories and comments.


text:
& Deals
& Celebrations
or Login
Join FREE Log In
Bake these flavorful potato biscuit squares with vanilla frosting - a sweet tea-time compliment!
©2014 General Mills, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This information will only be used to send an email to your friend(s) and will not be saved. Please read our Privacy Policy.
Take the chill out of the fall air with a cup of steaming cider and these sweetly spiced biscuits.
Bacon and Sweet Potato Biscuit Bake
Maple Pork Chop Dinner
Ham and Eggs Frittata Biscuits
Italian Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Bacon and Egg Savory Cupcakes
Philly Cheese and Ground Beef Casserole


text:
Tour Katie Lee's Country Kitchen
by Food Network Magazine in Food Network Magazine, January 22nd, 2014Check out the country kitchen of new Food Network host Katie Lee (The Kitchen, Saturdays at 11am/10c), then pick up some of her finds for your own kitchen.
Katie used a service called Printstagram to create a collage of her favorite Instagram photos for the refrigerator doors. "My friends are all here!" she says. From $12; printstagram.com
This George pendant light with cone shade, similar to Katie's, is inspired by an early-20th-century industrial design. $258; rejuvenation.com
Her natural-edge bowl makes an appearance at every dinner party—it's hand-carved from a single log. $564; email@example.com to order
Katie hits nearby farm stands and makes fresh juices—like spicy beet with lots of ginger and lemon — with her Juice Fountain Elite. $300; brevilleusa.com
Katie received a super-tall cylindrical glass vase from a flower delivery and gave it a new use: It holds wine corks. "I like keeping track of how much I've been drinking," she jokes. $43; save-on-crafts.com
Friends gather around the island on these classic French Bistro stools. $674; beaufurn.com for information
(Photographs by David A. Land and Devon Jarvis/Studio D)
Similar Posts
How to Make Custom Cookie Butter
You can blend your own cookie butter in five minutes flat. ...Comments (
5 )-
I just want to know if anyone ever tells you that you look exactly like Ali McGraw….everytime I watch The Ktichen I keep thinking that.
Katie, I love the Printstagram idea!
I was watching you on "The Kitchen" on March 31st and you had on a blue and white stripped boat neck shirt with 3/4 inch sleeves. I was wondering where you bought it. Do you recall by any chance? I would love to get one! -
thought you recently made a french toast casserole that you do overnite But cant seem to find it Am I dreamimg ?
I saw you on Fox News over the weekend where you spatchcocked a turkey (great idea); however you mentioned placing the turkey on top of the stuffing to bake for 90 minutes. What was the oven temperature needed? AND, what was the stuffing recipe . . . was it fresh bread stuffing or is it a prepared stuffing (bread cubes, chicken stock, onions, celery, etc. already mixed)?
I agree with the prior comment, you do look a great deal like Ali McGraw, but more poised. Thanks.
Katie Lee was on FOX news, how to cook a turkey in 90 min. I have questions: Do you baste the butterfly turkey with the Maple orange glaze? What is the measurement of maple syrup, and orange juice for the recipe? Do you put butter herb only under the breast? Thanks


text:
World » More
U.S. » More
Business » More
Tech » More
Markets » More
Market Data
Your Money » More
Opinion » More
Life & Culture » More
N.Y. » More
Real Estate » More
Management » More
Your email has been sent.
An error has occured and your email has not been sent. Please try again.
Chart available at Market Data Center
Bode Miller from the U.S. participates during a training session of the men's downhill event at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup at the Hahnenkamm mountain of the Austrian alpine skiing resort of Kitzbuehel January 20, 2015. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger (AUSTRIA - Tags: SPORT SKIING)
Content engaging our readers now, with additional prominence accorded if the story is rapidly gaining attention. Our WSJ algorithm comprises 30% page views, 20% Facebook, 20% Twitter, 20% email shares and 10% comments.
Subscriber Content Read Preview
Show 5 More
Show Fewer


text:
More Recipe Collections
Things I have created and/or Like
(6 Recipes) Created by GLITCHYPIXELS
Recipes in this Collection
(no ratings)
After frequenting a local restaurant I found their tuna melt had an amazing mixture of veggies, and a fantastic flavour. This is my attempt at recreating the sandwich. It's rather high in calorie, as most sandwiches are. Submitted by GLITCHYPIXELS Carbs: 53.4g | Fat: 14.1g | Fiber: 10.7g | Protein: 53g | Calories: 536.8
(no ratings)
This Nacho Casserole contains no meat! Om Nom Nom! Submitted by GLITCHYPIXELS Carbs: 16.4g | Fat: 33.8g | Fiber: 4.7g | Protein: 26.2g | Calories: 564.1
A quick and delicious combination of kale, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, and spices. Submitted by GBERGHORN Carbs: 28g | Fat: 8g | Fiber: 6.4g | Protein: 5.7g | Calories: 190.6
(no ratings)
Submitted by GLITCHYPIXELS Carbs: 11.9g | Fat: 17.8g | Fiber: 1.8g | Protein: 66.1g | Calories: 484.8
Very Good 4.5/5
(81 ratings)
Tasty Low fat/Low calorie version of the bar room favorite Submitted by ANGIERSJ Carbs: 10g | Fat: 2.4g | Fiber: 1.3g | Protein: 31.6g | Calories: 194.1
A healthy, mayo-free, but still delicious version of deviled eggs! Submitted by FANNETASTICFOOD Carbs: 2.3g | Fat: 8g | Fiber: 0.1g | Protein: 10.4g | Calories: 117.2