text:
- Home
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- June Real Estate Guide
COLUMBIA CITY ┬Ł┬Ł ┬ŁŌĆö Tammy Gross will never forget that day in August, almost six years ago, when she heard the words ŌĆ£breast cancerŌĆØ attached to her diagnosis.
ŌĆ£August 15, 2006, I received my diagnosis of breast cancer. On that day I became a survivor,ŌĆØ said Gross.
In the months that followed, Gross underwent four surgeries, over five months of chemotherapy and more than six weeks of daily radiation.
ŌĆ£I remember being in my parentsŌĆÖ van on the way to my first chemo session. My cousin Mari was with us and she said she was excited to start chemo. I was kind of taken back by those words. I was surely not excited to start chemo. Then she said that by starting chemo we were now fighting back against this cancer,ŌĆØ Gross said.
Upon going for her first chemotherapy session, Gross was unsure of what to expect.
ŌĆ£It was scary to walk into Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology the first time, not really knowing what chemotherapy was and what they were going to do to me.ŌĆØ
Eventually, Gross began to see that with each visit she was conquering cancer.
ŌĆ£DonŌĆÖt get me wrong. I didnŌĆÖt enjoy having the chemo. I didnŌĆÖt enjoy losing my hair, feeling fatigued all the time and gaining 35 pounds because of all the drugs I was given. But all those things that were happening to me were helping me survive cancer.ŌĆØ
In the spring of 2007, Gross heard the good news that she was cancer free. It was then that she was introduced to Relay for Life.
ŌĆ£After I had finished all my treatments in the spring of 2007, my Aunt Elaine told me about Whitley CountyŌĆÖs Relay for life.ŌĆ£
That first year, GrossŌĆÖ mom and aunt joined her on the infamous survivorŌĆÖs lap. This lap is a special trip around the walking track, especially for cancer survivors and their care givers.
Gross said, ŌĆ£I walked with many other survivors. It was emotional for me walking around that track. About half-way through it hit me that I survived cancer. Every year it still hits me that I survived.ŌĆØ
Gross attributes her surviving cancer to the many people who cared for her while she was battling the disease.
2010 marked a turning point for Gross. Wanting to do more than just walk the survivorŌĆÖs lap, she started thinking about being an instrumental part in the eventŌĆÖs planning.
ŌĆ£Shortly after the 2010 Relay, I was asked to join the committee by a former American Cancer Society community representative. That is how my involvement with Relay for Life began.ŌĆØ
Gross is now the Whitley County Relay for Life survivor chairperson. Before her own battle with cancer, Gross had never been involved with Relay for Life, but now it is a part of her and her story.
ŌĆ£I am passionate about helping to find a cure.ŌĆØ
When asked why she participates in the relay, Gross said, ŌĆ£Probably the same reason most people do. To celebrate, remember and fight back. But I also relay for those who supported me through my journey with cancer, those who saw me struggle through the worst times can now watch me celebrate life with the other survivors. I relay so my nieces and nephews never have to hear the words, ŌĆśyou have cancer,ŌĆÖ but if they do, they also hear, ŌĆśthis is how we cure it.ŌĆÖŌĆØ
Relay for Life is a 24 hour fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. Those 24 hours are filled with celebration for survivors and remembering those who have been lost.
ŌĆ£I want to encourage all survivors to come and walk the survivor lap with me,ŌĆØ said Gross.
The survivor lap will be June 2 at 5:30 p.m. at Indian Springs Middle School. Those who are or have been caregivers are welcome to walk with the survivors they have supported.
For more information on Relay for Life or to donate to a team, visit www.relayforlife.org.


text:
School Libraries and Young Readers: Common Core, Collections, and More! (Coeur d'Alene)
- 506 Appleway, Coeur d'Alene, ID, 83814
College and Career Ready Summit: Moving Idaho Forward
Idaho Commission for Libraries
Thursday, August 16, 2012 at 3:00 PM - Friday, August 17, 2012 at 3:00 PM (MDT)
College and Career Ready Summit:
Moving Idaho Forward
The Riverside Hotel - Boise
August 16 & 17, 2012
Presenters include Garry Golden, a professionally trained Futurist who speaks and consults on issues shaping society and business in the 21st century. Garry has consulted on a wide range of projects related to the future of infrastructure for energy and transportation, education/learning, emerging markets, social technologies and the implications of demographic transitions. Selena Grace, Chief Academic Officer at the Office of the State Board of Education, will be presenting information from the new Complete College Idaho Plan. Idaho Department of Correction Director Brent D. Reinke and representatives from Idaho State University and the Gear Up program are featured panel members.
Travel expenses are reimbursed.
Desired Outcomes:
8/16/2012 Agenda:
3:00 p.m. Registration opens, college and career ready knowledge quest /
networking activity
5:30 p.m. Break
6:00 p.m. Welcome by State Librarian Ann Joslin - Working dinner and presentation
with Garry Golden
8:00 - Dessert & Debrief
9:00 p.m.
8/17/2012 Agenda:
9:00 a.m. Reconvene with Garry Golden
9:30 a.m. Panel discussion with partners
10:30 a.m. Break
The Action: Next Steps - Moving Idaho Forward
Noon Working lunch and presentation
1:15 - Action Planning
3:00 p.m.
For more information about College and Career Ready visit http://libraries.idaho.gov/collegeandcareerready.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Silicon Valley is no stranger to pranks around April 1, and one of the area's richest men may have been the butt of one of them.
Google cofounder Sergey Brin was spotted driving a Tesla around LinkedIn headquarters on Thursday afternoon. That would have been somewhat normal if the Tesla Model S wasn't pink. With Batman wings. And eyelashes.
Early Web speculation suggests that executives at the Mountain View, Calif.-based search company played a prank on Brin for April Fools' Day, vinyl-wrapping the cofounder's personal car–which has custom Google Chrome rims–before making the other additions. This comes after the Google cofounder called smartphones "emasculating" at a TED conference in February.
"Huh. I don't remember Batman fins as an option when I configured my Tesla," wrote Google employee Nathan Jones on his Google+ Page.
Representatives at Google are looking into the matter and could not immediately provide comment. Tesla Motors currently does not offer its Model S in pink according to its website.
This makes even Brin's Google Glass seem ordinary.
Follow me on Twitter at @RMac18.


text:
SPECIAL OFFERTake An Extra 20% Off This Item! Discount Taken In Cart. See details
Extra 20% Off On All Orders $50+: Valid 7/3/15 – 7/5/15 only. Minimum purchase amount of $49, prior to subtotal, required to qualify for offer. No coupon code is required to receive offer online or by phone. Online, discount is reflected in cart. Extra 20% off is not valid on bikes, Team Performance memberships or renewals, gift cards, Spin Doctor Services or Service Plans, previous purchases, shipping or sales tax. Some brand and/or item exclusions may apply to this promotion – visit Terms and Conditions for details. All bikes priced as marked. Offer cannot be combined with any other coupon.
- Overview
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Spin Doctor Bare Bones Multi-Tool
- material:
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- rating:
- 5


text:
Registration takes less than 1 minute.
Order from DSME includes an option to add six more ultra-large container vessels.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union said 82 percent of its members voted in favor of ratification.
Trade Promotion Authority, a bill that grants the president authority to conclude trade deals without congressional interference, moved forward in the Senate Thursday morning.
Retailer Target used proactive planning to divert cargo to East Coast ports, create a dedicated chassis fleet, and use untapped drayage capacity to combat West Coast port congestion in late 2014 and early 2015.
Port disruptions caused by contentious dockworker contract negotiations likely reduced real export growth 1.5 percent in the first quarter, according to a recent study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
A new whitepaper from CarrierDirect says 3PLs can become strategic partners of LTL carriers in tight capacity environment by reducing a major pain point for carriers.


text:
Lets discuss this in our next meet. It would useful to do such interviews for Red Hat Magazine tooNow that is the sort of thing I love seeing. Think there is anyway we could get Weta to talk about what they like about Fedora? Now if we could only get Wil Wheaton to use fedora as a desktop
regards Rahul


text:
March 23, 2015
More invasive treatments declined after Group Health implemented decision aids.
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text:
Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design
|PIFD, Lahore
|Read in the name thy Lord who creates!
|Public Research
|Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
|PIFD Lahore
|Pakistan Engineering Council, Higher Education Commission
The Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design, commonly referred to as PIFD, (formerly known as Pakistan School of Fashion Design) is a public sector degree awarding institute in design institute specialising in design education. It offers a four year course of study leading to a Bachelor degree.
With the growth of Pakistani textiles, there was a shortage of trained professionals to develop the industry. In 1994 the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (formerly EPB) with guidance from the government of Pakistan came together with Mr. Olivier Lapidus to establish the Pakistan School of Fashion Design in a rented premises at Sunder Das Road, Lahore. The Pakistan School of Fashion and Design was named "Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design", and incorporated under Section 42 of Companies Ordinance 1984, in 2008 under the sponsorship of Ministry of Commerce, government of Pakistan. The NOC was issued from Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) for degree awarding status in 2007.
The institute has been granted the Charter for degree awarding status by the National Assembly in November 2010. This is a significant milestone in the endeavour to acquire Charter status which will enable the Institute to provide an HEC recognised degree. Pifd.
The institute comprises a 4-year BA Hons degree programme, divided into 4 Schools:
- Pakistan School of Fashion Design
- Pakistan School of Fashion Marketing and Promotions
- Pakistan School of Textile Design
- Pakistan School of Accessories and Products
Accessories and Products offers:
- Gems and Jewellery
- Furniture Design and Manufacturing
- Leather Accessories and Footwear
The Foundation Year programme is a base for students before opting to pursue their major in any of the four Schools (six disciplines). Students go abroad on exchange programmes and attend training and workshops in Paris; in Borås, Sweden and at the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences in Thailand.
The faculty portfolio consists of teachers, trained at L'Ecole Superieur Chamber Syndical de la Couture, Paris and at affiliated schools.
Students from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, FATA and Gilgit Baltistan and also from outside of Pakistan are enrolled at PIFD. Financial assistance is available: Rs. 3.8 million were given to 91 students in 2008–2009, and in 2009–2010, Rs. 8 million in financial aid has been given to 161 students.
The institute is affiliated with the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne[1] for Fashion Design, with the Mod' Spe' Paris[2] for Fashion Marketing and Promotions, with the Swedish College of Textile & Sciences[3] in Borås, Sweden since 2007 for student exchange and curriculum development; and with the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences,[4] Thailand for the Gems and Jewellery programme.
Local partnerships include: Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Textile, SMEDA, PIDC, AHAN, Pakistan Gems & Jewellery Development Company (PGJDC), Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC), Fashion Pakistan, Footwear Association, Furniture Pakistan, Pakistan Leather Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PLGMEA), Pakistan Gloves Manufacturing Association, Ready Made Garment Association, USAID, GTZ, and Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR).
PIFD graduates are the highest paid graduates in the country and have a 100% employment ratio.[citation needed] They teaching at Dubai, Shanghai and Cairo Fashion Schools and are working in industry as creative directors, designers, pattern makers, merchandisers and managers. PIFD alumni serve as faculty in seven fashion schools of Pakistan[citation needed]
Among its alumni are the designers Maria B., Hassan Sheheryar Yasin, Kamiar Rokni, Maheen Kardar, Mehdi, Sehr Atif, Nomi Ansari and Saman Arif.
An initiative has been taken to establish six affiliated colleges, in six cities of the country, in 2011. This project is being rolled-out with collaboration from the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan.
- Islamabad College offers Fashion Design, and Gems and Jewellery studies
- Faisalabad College offers Fashion Design, and Textile Design
- Peshawar College offers Gems and Jewellery, and Furniture
- Multan College offers Textile Design, and Ceramics
- Quetta College offers Gems and Jewellery, and Furniture Design
- Hala College offers Ceramics
External links[edit]


text: On Friday 20 January 2006 12:31, Carlo Capocasa wrote: [...] > I want to create a console keyboard to MIDI application and for this > I would like to read the physical status of keyboard keys. That is, MIDI output, as in sending MIDI messages to an onboard or external hardware synth, or a softsynth running in the driver or as a separate application? (As opposed to generating "wave" audio in your application.) Anyway, keybord input is done by handling "press" and "release" events. When you get a "press" event, you set some state variable for the corresponding key to "down", and when you get a "release" event, you clear that state variable. SDL also has an alternative API that has this logic built in: SDL_GetKeyState(): 'man SDL_GetKeyState': ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ... SYNOPSIS #include "SDL.h" Uint8 *SDL_GetKeyState(int *numkeys); DESCRIPTION Gets a snapshot of the current keyboard state. The current state is return as a pointer to an array, the size of this array is stored in numkeys. The array is indexed by the SDLK_* symbols. A value of 1 means the key is pressed and a value of 0 means its not. The pointer returned is a pointer to an internal SDL array and should not be freed by the caller. Note: Use SDL_PumpEvents to update the state array. EXAMPLE Uint8 *keystate = SDL_GetKeyState(NULL); if ( keystate[SDLK_RETURN] ) printf("Return Key Pressed."); ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- //David Olofson - Programmer, Composer, Open Source Advocate .------- http://olofson.net - Games, SDL examples -------. | http://zeespace.net - 2.5D rendering engine | | http://audiality.org - Music/audio engine | | http://eel.olofson.net - Real time scripting | '-- http://www.reologica.se - Rheology instrumentation --'


text:
Cable operators are looking for ways to enter the wireless business as consumers disconnect their landline phones in favor of cell phones, and seek ways to connect their laptops while on the go.
Cox Communications is building its own cellular network from the ground up; and Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA), Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) and Bright House have invested in Clearwire (NSDQ: CLWR) to gain access to the company's high-speed broadband network. And now, Cablevision (NYSE: CVC) is cooking up something entirely different: it is testing a new mobile phone that can work with Wi-Fi and cellular networks.
In the company's fourth-quarter earnings conference call, Cablevision's COO Tom Rutledge answered questions about how it intends to roll out wireless services. He said the cable operator, which serves a small footprint in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, is trialing phones that switch between WiFi and cellular networks. "The test is so far proving to be good and consistent with our view of what is possible and gives us some hope that we will be able to launch additional products using the Wi-Fi network that will look like what some people think of as cellular telephone."
The technology sounds an awful lot like UMA, which is used by T-Mobile USA, and allows people to roam between WiFi and the cellular network without even knowing it. UMA allows carriers to offload traffic from their more capital-intensive cellular networks to local area networks that are often paid for by the consumer in their own home.
For Cablevision, it's a pretty good fit since it has invested heavily in building out a WiFi network for its customers in the areas it covers. To continue offering cellular coverage outside of that WiFi area, it would have to either lease capacity from a wireless operator, or build its own cellular network. According to an AP story, Rutledge said: "We haven't made those decisions (about whether to build a cell network or lease capacity), but the latter outcome would be a less capital-intensive, higher-return business."


text:
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Future Soldier - Season Pass (NA)
Third party DRM: UplayThis game requires a free UPLAY account to play.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier™ Season Pass* brings you access to the entire range of downloadable content for the Windows PC version of Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. This includes all-new playable maps and game modes, extra weapons for Ghosts and Bodark units, additional Uplay achievements, and more!
Order Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier™ Season Pass now and get £7,99 off the total price of all upcoming Ghost Recon: Future Soldier downloadable content. Season Pass owners will automatically receive new content starting October 25th with the release of the Arctic Strike map pack.
Season Pass Details:
The first new downloadable content: The Arctic Strike Map Pack will be available October 25th. This all-new downloadable content pack extends your Ghost Recon: Future Soldier experience with new multiplayer maps, a new multiplayer mode, new Guerrilla mode co-op map, and six additional weapons to give you the edge over your enemies.


text:
Hostelworld "meet the world" by Lucky Generals
Rating: 5.0
By Daniel Farey-Jones, mediaweek.co.uk, Friday, 09 March 2012 09:21AM
It emerged that the media regulator has stepped up its interest in the "fit and proper" investigation it started last year, after a Freedom of Information request by the Financial Times.
The team, called Project Apple, was set up in January to scrutinise material emerging from the Leveson inquiry into press practices and police investigations into phone hacking and corrupt payments to public officials, according to Ofcom minutes.
Having been on the verge of achieving a full takeover of Sky in June 2011 with Ofcom's blessing, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and his heir apparent now find their involvement with the satellite broadcaster under the regulator's microscope.
James Murdoch last week stepped down as chairman of News International, the UK newspaper publisher at the centre of the phone hacking scandal and subsequent police investigations.
Sky declined to comment.
Follow Daniel Farey-Jones on Twitter @danfareyjones
This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk
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Rating: 5.0
Agency: Grey London
Rating: 5.0


text:
Sunbeam Tiger 1965 V8 260 rare car to find, projectcar. Original 1965 Sunbeam Tiger. This Sunbeam Tiger is the V8 version of the Sunbeam Alpine... More
This 1964 Sunbeam Tiger Series I is a gorgeous driver. Red with black interior. A very clean and straight example for only $49,000. ... More
1967 Sunbeam Tiger MKII. 1 of 530 made. V8 289 Ford 4 speed. Dual quad 331 stroker steel crank. 400 easy horse power. Lots... More
1966 Sunbeam Tiger MK1A If you are interested in this vehicle or have any questions, please call Maurice at 250-724-4672 This car started life as a SBF... More
Sold new by a local northeast Pennsylvania dealer who, upon taking it back in trade, decided to keep it for himself. It is a numbers... More
1967 Sunbeam Tiger Mk IA in British Racing Green with Black Vinyl Interior. This is an original car that has been very well preserved... More
Sunbeam 1967 Tiger Mark II, Serial # 3, meticulously restored and all original, rust free body stripped to bare metal, correct down to the... More
TIGERS: Mark I and Mark II, the best of the best. 443-386-6170, MD; info and photos: www.hmn.com/1725848... More
SUNBEAM: 1967 Tiger Mk IA, owned for 18 years, Best of Show winner, restored by former NASCAR mechanic, featured in 2 magazine articles, $63,000... More
SUNBEAM: 1965 Tiger hardtop, 35,000-mile barn find, runs great, several LAT options, no rust anywhere, lots of patina, white with azure blue interior, $55,000.... More
1966 Sunbeam Tiger Mk1A known as the Funbeam Engine: Shelby Engineered Ford V-8 302 with Holley 600cmf 4BBL Carburetor (Original Ford 260 is included with... More
1966 Sunbeam Tiger '66 Sunbeam Tiger, matching numbers, chassis#B382000583LRXFE engine#495286F21KA, white with black interior, straight body, excellent original car that could use some cosmetics but... More
1966 Sunbeam Tiger MK1A Race Car Professionally built to be enjoyed at SCCA events and track days amongst friends! Powered by a pro-built 302ci V8... More
1967 SUNBEAM TIGER MK 1A --Dark Blue with Black interior, Black carpets and Black convertible top, Fully Restored Show Quality, 260 cu.in. OHV Ford V-8... More
Best offer over $65,000 Very Original 1967 Subeam Tiger Mark 1A 260 Ford V8 Motor Contact Kaitlin for more information ... More


text: FoXxO Roxanne Adams Chicago, United States http://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/foxxo http://twitter.com/foxxxxo http://www.facebook.com/djfoxxo In 2010 Foxxo received her biggest break when she was invited to play an all vinyl set at Chicago's renowned House of Sol. That day launched her career, and since then she has been invited to mix at numerous Chicago house hot spots such as Grand Bar, Lokal, Radio Arte, Fearless Radio, SmartBar and Output Lounge. She has shared the decks with such house luminaries as Gene Hunt, Mark Grant, John Simmons and Gerald Moore. In March of 2013 Foxxo had her first release with label Deep Hype Sounds "This Is the Underground" with Producer Louie Gomez. Foxxo also hosts the Annual Get Deep Labor Day Beatdown with members of Underground House crew Get Deep. This is an indoor/outdoor event with house djs throughout Chicago. Foxxo's eclectic style and sound gets the crowd moving and her vivacious personality attracts people from all walks of life. Foxxo's genres consist of Soulful, Funk, Disco and Jackin House. Cheers! For booking information please contact Gerardo Zavala at email@example.com Sounds Resurrection Nov 2014 by FoXxO published on 2014/11/26 15:38:13 +0000 FOXXO live on UGHTV H2S 9-26-13 by FoXxO published on 2013/10/01 14:04:03 +0000 Slammin Saturday Premiere 2nd Season by FoXxO published on 2013/09/17 13:38:44 +0000 First Lady Of Slammin Saturdays August 2013 by FoXxO published on 2013/08/12 17:48:18 +0000 Foxxo Slammin Saturday 4-13-13 by FoXxO published on 2013/04/17 15:08:55 +0000 ❄Hope❄Hugs❄Happiness❄2012 by FoXxO published on 2012/12/31 15:33:02 +0000 Foxxo 11-1 GetDeep by FoXxO published on 2012/11/05 15:24:19 +0000 Foxxo on Chitownmusicradio.com by FoXxO published on 2012/10/15 14:35:21 +0000 ♪♫♩♬Faded with Foxxo ♪♫♩♬ by FoXxO published on 2012/10/12 14:15:16 +0000 MidwayHustle-JSquare BDay Edition-Foxxo by FoXxO published on 2012/07/16 20:11:02 +0000


text:
Customer relationship management
Customer relationship management (CRM) is an approach to managing a company's interactions with current and future customers. It often involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support.[1]
- 1 Characteristics of CRM
- 2 CRM implementation
- 3 Types
- 3.1 CRM in customer contact centers
- 3.2 CRM in Business-to-Business (B2B) market
- 3.3 SaaS CRM Software
- 3.4 Small business
- 3.5 Social media
- 3.6 Non-profit and membership-based
- 3.7 Customer-centric relationship management (CCRM)
- 3.8 Value-oriented CRM
- 4 Adoption issues
- 5 CRM Paradox
- 6 Market leaders
- 7 Trends
- 8 See also
- 9 References
Characteristics of CRM[edit]
CRM is a customer-oriented feature with service response based on customer input, one-to-one solutions to customers' requirements, direct online communications with customer and customer service centers that help customers solve their issues.
- Sales force automation. This function can implement sales promotion analysis, automate tracking of a client's account history for repeated sales or future sales, and also сoordinate sales, marketing, call centers, and retail outlets in order to realize the salesforce automation.
- Use of data warehouse technology. This feature is about following the technology trends and skills of value delivery using technology to aggregate transaction information, to merge the information with CRM products, and to provide KPI (key performance indicators).
- Opportunity management. This feature helps the company to manage unpredictable growth and demand and implement a good forecasting model to integrate sales history with sales projections.[2]
- Developing and maintaining client relationships.
- CRM is expanding outside of the core sales and marketing areas and systems are available that incorporate support and finance data also into the CRM view that a user gets, enabling a wider holistic view of a customer from one screen for a user.
- Customer relationship management systems track and measure marketing campaigns over multiple networks. These systems can track customer analysis by customer clicks and sales.
CRM implementation[edit]
Implementing CRM in a company[edit]
The following are general guidelines on implementing a CRM system.
- Making a strategic decision on what problems the CRM system is to address, what improvements or changes it should bring in the business processes of the organization.
- Choosing an appropriate project manager. Typically IT will be engaged, however a manager with a customer service/sales and marketing focus should be involved, as the impact of the project will be mainly on the business side.
- Ensuring executive sponsorship and top management support.
- Empowering team members with the required authority to complete the tasks.
- Selecting the correct implementation partner. They must have both vertical and horizontal business knowledge, as well as technical expertise.
- Defining KPI's that will measure the project's success.
- Using a phased approach. Working towards long-term enterprise-scale implementation through a series of smaller, phased implementations.[3]
A paper entitled "CRM Implementation: Effectiveness Issues and Insights" (2006) provides several useful insights for CRM implementation.[4]
A majority of World Wide Web users use social networking sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or chat rooms. and many others. These sites provide users with a variety of services, including interaction with friends or the business community to exchange information and interests. Balaram (2010)[5] presented evidence of a significant increase in the use of social networking sites, especially among young people. This causes companies to use these sites to draw attention to their products, services and brands, thus increasing demand for its products.
Social networks are online service or online sites allow the establishment of an online community or group of people to interact and share common interests and activists.[6]
Internet services allows users to send and retrieve information quickly. Through the use of social networking sites, users can communicate and get information about other users, and information about individuals or companies. Promote the exchange and sharing of benefits. Social networking provides options for users to search and browse based on the needs and interests required information and access to them is. This will include the needs of the organization, in order to reach the largest number of individuals and the composition of the substrate vast level.Through social networking sites can create comments and suggestions of a special account or group can posts, and even job-related information and project work.
Use of enterprise portals for the integration and cooperation organizations, can be an important means to achieve the maximum benefit to the organization. The ability to manage and use information via the Internet increases the overall efficiency. It is possible to manage business knowledge, and to provide information needed for a simple manner.[7] In addition, social networking sites to provide users with the possibility to build their own account, and add their own things or comments, for example, what they like, they hate, date of birth, place of residence and other problems. Therefore, it is easy to communicate with and contact them with the others, even some of the media to send a message or post notification. Users can also choose to select who will have permission to share or communicate, and build their own privacy options.
In short, social networking should be considered as a platform for online businesses or individuals and effective tool, because it is free and easy to use. Therefore, it is possible for companies to adopt through effective communication and social interaction provides the company's vision, from the advantages of this platform. And the company may exercise its own marketing, sales, and for their clients to provide services in a broad range. In addition, these sites can be deployed a lot of information, which will help the company move from its place to the whole world.
Impact on Customer Satisfaction[edit]
According to Bolton, customer satisfaction has significant implications for the economic performance of firms[8] Because customer satisfaction has been found to have a negative impact on customer complaints and a positive impact on customer loyalty and usage behavior.[9]
Benefits of implementing CRM include
- Increased customer loyalty may increase usage levels [8]
- Secure future revenues [10]
- And minimize the likelihood of customer defection[11]
Anderson, Fornell, and Mazvancheryl (2004) found a strong relationship between customer satisfaction and Tobin's q (as a measure of shareholder value) after controlling for fixed, random, and unobservable factors. More generally, the financial impact of customer satisfaction on various outcomes related to customer management, firm-revenues and profitability, stock market outcomes, and customer relationship behaviors (repurchase, word-of-mouth etc.) is summarized in an Marketing Science Institute Report from 2010.[12]
The implementation of CRM is likely to have an effect on customer satisfaction for at least three reasons:
- Firms are able to customize their offerings for each customer. By accumulating information across customer interactions and processing this information to discover hidden patterns, CRM applications help firms customize their offerings to suit the individual tastes of their customers. Customized offerings enhance the perceived quality of products and services from a customer's viewpoint. Because perceived quality is a determinant of customer satisfaction, it follows that CRM applications indirectly affect customer satisfaction through their effect on perceived quality.
- In addition to enhancing the perceived quality of the offering, CRM applications also enable firms to improve the reliability of consumption experiences by facilitating the timely, accurate processing of customer orders and requests and the ongoing management of customer accounts. For example, Piccoli and Applegate (2003) discuss how Wyndham uses IT tools to deliver a consistent service experience across its various properties to a customer. Both an improved ability to customize and a reduced variability of the consumption experience enhance perceived quality, which in turn positively affects customer satisfaction.[13]
- CRM applications also help firms manage customer relationships more effectively across the stages of relationship initiation, maintenance, and termination[14] In turn, effective management of the customer relationship is the key to managing customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Several issues in this regards are also summarized in a paper by Bohling et al.[4]
CRM products[edit]
Companies can choose a CRM product based on their specific organizational needs by considering the following criteria:
- Features
- These are what the product actually does and what value it can provide to an organization.
- Support
- Many CRM vendors have a basic level of support which generally only includes email and/or access to a support forum.[15][16][17] Telephone support is often charged in either an annual or ad hoc pricing strategy. Some companies offer on-site support for an extra premium.[18]
- Pricing
- This will be shown either per-user[17] or as a flat price for a number of users.[19] Vendors charge annually, quarterly, or monthly with variable pricing options for different features.
- Demonstration Periods
- Many vendors offer a trial period and/or online demonstrations.
CRM in customer contact centers[edit]
CRM systems are customer relationship management platforms. The goal of the system is to track, record, store in databases, and then determine the information in a way that increases customer relations (predominantly increased ARPU, and decreased churn). The CRM codifies the interactions between company and customers so that the former can maximize sales and profit using analytics and KPIs to give the users as much information on where to focus their marketing and customer service to maximize revenue and decrease idle and unproductive contact with customers. The contact channels (now aiming to be omni-channel from multi-channel) use such operational methods as contact centers. The CRM software is installed in the contact centers, and help direct customers to the right agent or self-empowered knowledge.[20] CRM software can also be used to identify and reward loyal customers over a period of time.
Growing in popularity is the idea of gamifying customer service environments. The repetitive and tedious act of answering support calls all day can be draining, even for the most enthusiastic customer service representative. When agents are bored with their work, they become less engaged and less motivated to do their jobs well. They are also prone to making mistakes. Gamification tools can motivate agents by tapping into their visceral need for reward, status, achievement, and competition.[21]
CRM in Business-to-Business (B2B) market[edit]
According to a Sweeney Group definition, CRM is "all the tools, technologies and procedures to manage, improve, or facilitate sales, support and related interactions with customers, prospects, and business partners throughout the enterprise".[22] It assumes that CRM is involved in every B2B transaction.[2]
Despite the general notion that CRM systems were created for the customer-centric businesses, they can also be applied to B2B environments to streamline and improve customer management conditions. B2C and B2B CRM systems are not created equally and different CRM software applies to B2B and Business-to-Customer (B2C) conditions. B2B relationships usually have longer maturity times than B2C relationships. For the best level of CRM operation in a B2B environment, the software must be personalized and delivered at individual levels.[23]
Differences between CRM for Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Customers (B2C)[edit]
B2B and B2C marketing operates differently, and that is why they cannot use the same software. All the differences are focused on the approach of these two types of businesses:
- B2B companies have smaller contact databases than B2C.
- The amount of sales in B2B is relatively small.
- In B2B there are less figure propositions, but in some cases they cost a lot more than B2C items.
- Relationships in B2B environment are built over a longer period of time.
- B2B CRM must be easily integrated with products from other companies. Such integration enables the creation of forecasts about customer behavior based on their buying history, bills, business success, etc.
- An application for a B2B company must have a function to connect all the contacts, processes and deals among the customers segment and then prepare a paper.
- Automation of sales process is an important requirement for B2B products. It should effectively manage the deal and progress it through all the phases towards signing.
- A crucial point is personalization. It helps the B2B company to create and maintain strong and long-lasting relationship with the customer. To help the company communicate with their clients more effectively, there should be integration with the company's email system.
SaaS CRM Software[edit]
Often referred to as "on-demand" software, software as a service (SaaS) is delivered via the Internet and does not require installation on a local computer. Instead, the software is accessed via a web browser. Businesses using the software do not purchase the software, but typically pay a recurring subscription fee to the software vendor.[24]
Small business[edit]
For small businesses a CRM system may simply consist of a contact manager system which integrates emails, documents, jobs, faxes, and scheduling for individual accounts.[citation needed] CRM systems available for specific markets (legal, finance) frequently focus on event management and relationship tracking as opposed to financial return on investment (ROI).
Social media[edit]
CRM often makes use of social media to build up customer relationships. Some CRM systems integrate social media sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to track and communicate with customers sharing their opinions and experiences with a company, products and services.[25] Enterprise Feedback Management software platforms such as Confirmit, Medallia, and Satmetrix combine internal survey data with trends identified through social media to allow businesses to make more accurate decisions on which products to supply.[26]
Non-profit and membership-based[edit]
Systems for non-profit and also membership-based organizations help track constituents, fund-raising, Sponsors demographics, membership levels, membership directories, volunteering and communication with individuals.[citation needed]
Customer-centric relationship management (CCRM)[edit]
CCRM is a style of customer relationship management that focuses on customer preferences instead of customer leverage. This is a nascent sub-discipline of traditional CRM to take advantage of changes in communications technology.
Customer-centric organizations help customers make better decisions and it also helps drive profitability. CCRM adds value by engaging customers in individual, interactive relationships.[27]
Customer-centricity differs from client-centricity in that the latter refers almost exclusively to business-to-business models rather than customer-facing firms.
Features of CCRM[edit]
Customer-centric relationship management is used in marketing, customer service and sales, including:
- tailored marketing,
- one-to-one customer service,
- retaining customers,
- building brand loyalty,
- providing information customers actually want,
- subscription billing,
- rewards.
Value-oriented CRM[edit]
Companies are seeking new ways to deliver better customer value in order to build and maintain close relationships with customers, thereby strengthening their sustainably competitive advantage. Therefore, a better understanding of customer value is the key to successful CRM application.[28]
Customer value[edit]
Customer Value can be divided into functional value, social value, emotional value and perceived value. Functional value is that a product may offer convenient and methods to help customers solve problems in real life. The contribution of social value is that the responsibility and commitment of the customers - the customers through using their practical activities to satisfy the physical and psychic needs of society or others. Emotional value means that when the people's physical needs are met, they begin to pursue social activities, self-esteem and achievement needs, mainly for seeking leisure, entertainment, lifestyle and emotional experience, such as a sense of interest, pleasure, and satisfaction. Perceived value refers to customers' overall evaluation of the product or service, the cost that customer can perceive its benefits and pay.[28]
Features of customer value[edit]
- Closely related to customer value and provide material
- Offer a customer from the customer's perception of the utility of judgment, not by the vendor and other objective decision
- Customer perceived value is perceived core interests, such as loss of interest and perceived quality trade-offs, interest and other utility. It is a customer of the product attributes, attribute effectiveness and use of the results of the evaluation
- Preferences and perception of customer value, customer value and therefore the substance is considered to the desired level, based on customer perceived loss of profits and interest, such as the total cost includes monetary and non-monetization differences for products / services overall evaluation of the utility.
Brand loyalty[edit]
For brand loyalty, definitely, brand loyalty is the key way for customers to achieve more profit.[28] Usually brand loyalty is considered to be a repeated purchase, but sometimes we cannot know if the customers are truly willing to have the second, third, or fourth purchase. So there is another way which has been referred that is according to customers' attitude to test their loyalty. Companies can send out questionnaires or web links that are about some choices comment on the different aspects on product and service. By using this way, companies can get some true feedback and purchase experience from customers in order to figure out if the customers are happy to use the product or not.
Only if the activities and operation of companies can stimulate the purchase motivation of customers,and good attitude and preference of brands such as repeat purchase and share good shopping experience to others, basically it can be considered that enterprise has achieve a good performance on CRM. Also another benefit we can get is that good customer value and brand loyalty is a good drive to improve CRM performance, so providing better customer value and experience for customer is also a key way to implement CRM well. Accenture[29] and Emerald Insight[30] are now beginning to focus on CCRM as a discipline, with studies appearing on Mendeley.[31]
Adoption issues[edit]
In 2003, a Gartner report estimated that more than $2 billion had been spent on software that was not being used. According to CSO Insights, less than 40 percent of 1,275 participating companies had end-user adoption rates above 90 percent.[32] Many corporations only use CRM systems on a partial or fragmented basis.[33][citation needed] In a 2007 survey from the UK, four-fifths of senior executives reported that their biggest challenge is getting their staff to use the systems they had installed. 43 percent of respondents said they use less than half the functionality of their existing systems.[34][citation needed] Recently, it was found in a study that market research regarding consumers' preferences may increase the adoption of CRM among the developing countries' consumers.[35]
CRM Paradox[edit]
The CRM Paradox, also referred to as the "Dark side of CRM",[36] entails favoritism and differential treatment of some customers. This may cause perceptions of unfairness among other customers' buyers. They may opt out of relationships, spread negative information, or engage in misbehavior that may damage the firm. CRM fundamentally involves treating customers differently based on the assumption that customers are different and have different needs. Such perceived inequality may cause dissatisfaction, mistrust and result in unfair practices. A customer shows trust when he bonds in a relationship with a firm when he knows that the firm is acting fairly and adding value. However, customers may not trust that firms will be fair in splitting the value creation pie[clarify] in the first place. For example, Amazon's test use of dynamic pricing (different prices for different customers) was a public relations nightmare for the company[citation needed].
Market leaders[edit]
The CRM market grew by 12.5 percent in 2012.[37] The following table lists the top vendors in 2006–2008 and 2013 (figures in millions of US dollars) published in Gartner studies.[38][39]
|2013 Revenue
|2013 Share (%)
|2012 Revenue
|2012 Share (%)
|2008 Revenue
|2008 Share (%)
|2007 Revenue
|2007 Share (%)
|2006 Revenue
|2006 Share (%)
|Salesforce.com CRM
|Microsoft Dynamics CRM
In the Gartner CRM Summit 2010 challenges like "System tries to capture data from social networking traffic like Twitter, handles Facebook page addresses or other online social networking sites" were discussed and solutions were provided which would help in bringing more clientele.[40] Many CRM vendors offer subscription-based web tools (cloud computing) and SaaS. Some CRM systems are equipped with mobile capabilities, making information accessible to remote sales staff.[citation needed] Salesforce.com was the first company to provide enterprise applications through a web browser, and has maintained its leadership position.[41] Salesforce continues to be a market leader as the CRM with the most customers [42] and is rated-highly among their customers.[43]
Traditional providers have recently moved into the cloud-based market via acquisitions of smaller providers: Oracle purchased RightNow in October 2011[44] and SAP acquired SuccessFactors in December 2011.[45]
The era of the "social customer"[46] refers to the use of social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Pinterest, Instagram, Yelp, customer reviews in Amazon, etc.) by customers. CR philosophy and strategy has shifted to encompass social networks and user communities.
Sales forces also play an important role in CRM, as maximizing sales effectiveness and increasing sales productivity is a driving force behind the adoption of CRM. Empowering sales managers was listed as one of the top 5 CRM trends in 2013.[47]
Another related development is vendor relationship management (VRM), which provide tools and services that allow customers to manage their individual relationship with vendors. VRM development has grown out of efforts by ProjectVRM at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet & Society and Identity Commons' Internet Identity Workshops, as well as by a growing number of startups and established companies. VRM was the subject of a cover story in the May 2010 issue of CRM Magazine.[48]
In 2001, Doug Laney from Gartner developed the concept and coined the term 'Extended Relationship Management' (XRM).[49] Laney defines XRM as extending CRM disciplines to secondary allies such as the government, press and industry consortia.
Dennison DeGregor (2011) describes a shift from 'push CRM' toward a 'customer transparency' (CT) model, due to the increased proliferation of channels, devices, and social media.[50]
See also[edit]
- ^ Shaw, Robert, Computer Aided Marketing & Selling (1991) Butterworth Heinemann ISBN 978-0-7506-1707-9
- ^ a b Yun E. Zeng, H. Joseph Wen, David C. Yen, "Customer relationship management (CRM) in business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce", Emerald 11, (2003).
- ^ Piskar F., Faganel A. (2009). A successful CRM Implementation Project in a Service Company: Case Study. Organizacija, Vol: 42, pp. 199-208
- ^ a b Timothy Bohling, Douglas Bowman, Steve LaValle, Vikas Mittal, Das Naryandas, Girish Ramani, & Rajan Varadarajan. 2006. "CRM Implementation: Effectiveness Issues and Insights" Journal of Service Research, 9(2), November, 184-194.. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2343756
- ^ Balaram, A., Adhikari, B. (2010), Managing Customer Relationships in Service Organizations. Administration and Management Review, 21(2), 65-78.
- ^ Harrigan, P. and Miles, M. (2014). From e-CRM to s-CRM. Critical factors underpinning the social CRM activities of SMEs. Small Enterprise Research, 21(1), pp.99-116.
- ^ O'Murchu, I., Breslin, J.G., & Decker, S. (2004). Online social and business networking communities, DERI Technical Report 2004-08-11, SIGKDD'03. Washington, DC.
- ^ a b Bolton, Ruth N. (1998), "A Dynamic Model of the Duration of the Customer's Relationship with a Continuous Service Provider: The Role of Satisfaction," Marketing Science, 17 (1), 45–65.
- ^ Fornell, Claes (1992), "A National Customer Satisfaction Barometer: The Swedish Experience," Journal of Marketing, 56 (January), 6-22
- ^ Rust, Roland T., Christine Moorman, and Peter R. Dickson (2002), "Getting Return on Quality: Revenue Expansion, Cost Reduction, or Both?" Journal of Marketing, 66 (October), 7–24
- ^ Fornell, Claes (1992), "A National Customer Satisfaction Barometer: The Swedish Experience," Journal of Marketing, 56 (January), 6–22
- ^ Mittal, Vikas and Frennea, Carly, Customer Satisfaction: A Strategic Review and Guidelines for Managers (2010). MSI Fast Forward Series, Marketing Science Institute, Cambridge, MA, 2010. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2345469
- ^ Piccoli, Gabriele and L. Applegate (2003), "Wyndham International: Fostering High-Touch with High-Tech," Case Study No. 9-803-092, Harvard Business School
- ^ Reinartz, Werner, Manfred Krafft, and Wayne D. Hoyer (2004), "The Customer Relationship Management Process: Its Measurement and Impact on Performance," Journal of Marketing Research, 41 (August), 293–305
- ^ http://opencrm.co.uk/support.html
- ^ http://www.salesforce.com/uk/service-cloud/overview/
- ^ a b http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/dynamics/dynamics-online-support.aspx
- ^ TopTen Reviews CRM Software Review
- ^ http://opencrm.co.uk/plans-and-pricing.html
- ^ SAP Insider (15 November 2007) Still Struggling to Reduce Call Center Costs Without Losing Customers?
- ^ Myron, David. DestinationCRM.com. Information Today, Inc. CRM in Customer Service http://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=99909 CRM in Customer Service. Retrieved 15 October 2014. Missing or empty
- ^ Davenport, T.H., Harris, J.G., Kohli, A.K. (2001), "How do they know their customers so well?", MIT Sloan Management Review, Vol. 42 No.2, pp.63-73.
- ^ Rebekah Henderson, B2B Insights (2013) How to build a B2B-friendly CRM
- ^ Cloud Taxonomy CRM Software as a Service
- ^ DestinationCRM.com (2009) Who Owns the Social Customer?
- ^ Lester, Aaron (2013-04-23). "Seeking treasure from social media tracking? Follow the customer". SearchBusinessAnalytics. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
- ^ It's all about the Customer, Stupid – The Importance of Customer Centric Partners
- ^ a b c Evans, M., Jamal, A. and Foxall, G. (2006). Consumer behaviour. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
- ^ Sales and Customer Services–CRM: Services Overview
- ^ Customer-centric relationship management system development: A generative knowledge integration perspective
- ^ CRM and customer-centric knowledge management: an empirical research
- ^ Jim Dickie, CSO Insights (2006) Demystifying CRM Adoption Rates
- ^ Joachim, David. "CRM tools improve access, usability." (cover story). B to B 87, no. 3 (11 March 2002): 1
- ^ David Sims, TMC.net (2007) CRM Adoption 'Biggest Problem' in 83 Percent of Cases
- ^ Hasan, M. R., Rahman, M., And Khan, M. M. (2013). Rural Consumers' Adoption of CRM in a Developing Country Context. International Journal of Business and Management Invention (IJBMI), 2(9), 121-131. [1]
- ^ Nguyen, B. & Mutum, D. S. (2012). A review of customer relationship management: successes, advances, pitfalls and futures, Business Process Management Journal, 18 (3). 400-419 [2]
- ^ Forbes.com (2013) 2013 CRM Market Share Update: 40% Of CRM Systems Sold Are SaaS-Based
- ^ "Gartner Says Worldwide Customer Relationship Management Market Grew 23 Percent in 2007" (Press release). Gartner, Inc. 12 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
- ^ "Gartner Says Worldwide CRM Market Grew 12.5 Percent in 2008" (Press release). Gartner, Inc. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
- ^ CRM Trends in Insurance IndustryCRM Trends in Insurance Industry: April, 2010
- ^ Put Cloud CRM to Work PC World: April, 2010
- ^ "The Top 20 Most Popular CRM". Capterra.
- ^ "Best CRM". salesforce.com.
- ^ Oracle Buys Cloud-based Customer Service Company RightNow For $1.5 Billion Techcrunch: 24 October 2011
- ^ SAP Challenges Oracle With $3.4 Billion SuccessFactors Purchase Bloomberg Businessweek: 7 December 2011
- ^ Greenberg, Paul (2009). CRM at the Speed of Light (4th ed.). McGraw Hill. p. 7.
- ^ "Top 5 CRM Trends for 2013". Enterprise Apps Today. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- ^ Destinationcrm.com CRM Magazine: May, 2010
- ^ [3] The Great Enterprise Balancing Act: Extended Relationship Management (XRM), Doug Laney, META Group publication, 10 December 2001
- ^ DeGregor, Dennison (2011). Customer-Transparent Enterprise: Beyond 20th Century CRM. Motivational Press. ISBN 1-935723-23-5.


text:
To help reduce the high risk of maternal mortality rate in Nigeria, the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) recently launched a campaign 'Not Again'.
The campaign, sponsored by MacArthur Foundation, was launched to assist the country to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), educate, organise and mobilise women across the country from local community to national level; and to raise maternal and child health of underdeveloped and developing countries to an equitable level with the rest of the world. Speaking at the programme, the Executive Director of WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi stressed that maternal, neonatal and under-five mortality rates are highest in sub-Saharan African and Southern Asia, saying Nigeria was second to India in the issue of maternal mortality which has to be properly cared for and leave women and children safe when delivering. She further said women have typical features in maternal health issues as victims and objects rather than active subject in the campaign against maternal death since children under five are still related to maternal health.
Through the campaign 'Not Again', WARDC intends to join effort with government at level and professionals to create and increase public awareness on maternal health issues as a human rights concern for public discourse, and demand provision of quality maternal health services which will also contribute to significant reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity in the country as it was set worldwide.
"WARDC intends to promote the discourse that maternal health issue is a human rights concern and that government has the obligations to ensure that women's human rights are respected, promoted and protected. We want to ensure the maternal death is zero in Nigeria so that the mother can take give proper care to her child. Let come together to stop to this issue by mobilising and educating our women on what to do when they notice they have miss their period in order to be on a saver side when she reach delivery time", she stressed.
According to the Medical Officer of Health, Local Community Development Area (LCDA), Onigbongbo, Dr. Ibiwunmi Akinde, Maternal and Child Mortality Reduction (MCMR) programme was launched in Lagos on October 18, 2012 where it has constructed 10 Public Health Centres (PHCs) across the states, with seven already unveiled in areas such as Isolo, Ifako Ijaiye, Ikorodu, Amuwo, Ajeromi, Alimosho and Surulere, where there would be free antenatal care and delivery service, workers given adequate training, and government involved in private sector and traditional doctors.
Speaking further, she said 57 PHCs would be provided in all local governments across the country with 24-hours daily services, which would take care of antenatal, delivery, post-natal, Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and family planning. Akinde said the implementation of the National Integrated Maternal, Newborn and Child Health strategy was also to fast track high impact intervention packages such as immunisation, Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs), PMTCT, and strengthen the health system at the federal, state and local governments and the passing of the NHIS which integrates public and private health sector to make healthcare more affordable.
She said the use of skilled birth attendants should be expanded; qualitative antenatal care; improved health systems; accessible and affordable contraception; elimination of harmful practices; community mobilisation; adding that provision of clean delivery kits was important to reduce maternal mortality in any society.
Safe Motherhood Initiative (SMI) was launched in 1987 by United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Bank to raise awareness about maternal deaths, empower women, set up efficient antenatal care and working referral systems, emergency management of obstetric cases and increase family planning awareness; SURE-P and Midwife Service Scheme also to increase number of deliveries being attended by SBA (doctors, nurses, midwives).
The campaign launch and signatures collection was done by the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji.


text:
SAW: State Softball Showcase
North Butler finished 7th in Class 2A, Saint Ansgar finished 8th.
Sponsored by:
North Butler finished 7th in Class 2A, Saint Ansgar finished 8th.
Sindlinger finished with a three-round score of 227.
KIMT's Two Wheel Tour is spending their Tuesday night in Forest City.
Highlights include: STA/Highland (SB), Earlham/NB (SB), and Garrigan/Newman (BB).
The Bearcats will play MV-A-O on Wednesday.
KIMT's Two Wheel Tour rolls into Forest City for Tuesday's overnight RAGBRAI stop.
St. Ansgar will play Alburnett at 12:00 on Wednesday.
The Saints and Bearcats will play in state quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Highlights include: Humboldt/Clear Lake and Gilbert/Algona.
The group broke a record set in 2011 by a South Carolina track club.


text:
It was a beautiful May afternoon when Donnel Gomes took his week-old silver Mercedes for a spin into the city. He turned onto Broad Street, a main thoroughfare downtown, and … kaboom!
The car fell into a huge pothole, blowing its right tire, ripping the front axle and knocking out the air-bag system. Cost: $3,800.
"It was a wreck," said the 48-year-old electrician, although he reckoned he got off easy compared with a motorcyclist whom Gomes saw thrown into the air after hitting a crater on another downtown street. "A damn minefield," he said of traversing many of Providence's roads.
Rhode Island has an unusually large share of shoddy highways, streets and bridges, but it's not much better in the rest of the country.
America's transportation infrastructure, once an engine of mobility and productivity, has fallen into such disrepair that it's become an economic albatross.
Consumers shell out billions of dollars for extra car repairs every year. Insufficient and poorly maintained roads mean costly bottlenecks for businesses, which discourage expansion and hobble American companies competing in the global economy.
Congestion on major urban highways costs the economy more than $100 billion a year in fuel and lost work time, estimates the American Society of Civil Engineers.
And, says said Casey Dinges, the engineering group's senior managing director: "It's become a white-knuckle experience for many commuters."
Age is a key factor. Most of the major highways were built decades ago.
America's transportation structures look all the more frayed next to those in advanced economies in Europe and Japan, or in China, which has been busily constructing high-speed rail and new airports.
U.S. spending for transportation and other infrastructure accounts for 2.4% of its economy versus about 12% for China, says economist David Dollar, a former China director for the World Bank. Europe's infrastructure spending is about 5%.
Dollar, now with the Brookings Institution, says visiting Chinese officials and business leaders frequently remark how surprised they are at America's declining infrastructure, sometimes asking whether they can help finance improvements.
American politicians, from President Obama down to small-town mayors, decry the deplorable condition of infrastructure, but many are reluctant to raise taxes or boost tolls and user fees.
Between the federal government and local entities, government spending for highways runs less than $90 billion a year, which is barely enough to maintain the status quo, let alone improve roadway conditions and performance.
That's partly why the share of congested highways in U.S. cities has risen from 25% in the early 1980s to more than 40% today, according to the Transportation Department. Roads with "acceptable ride quality" fell from 87% in 1995 to 82% in 2010.
It's especially tough for states such as Rhode Island that have been lagging economically and depend heavily on Uncle Sam for transportation funds. The federal highway program is funded by an 18.4-cents-per-gallon gas tax, but that hasn't budged since 1993.
Now, the fund is on the verge of insolvency. Congress came through last week with a last-minute replenishment of money, but it'll only last until May.
The upshot is that states and localities make do with what they can.
A quarter of the country's 147,870 bridges are deficient or obsolete, according to a July report by the White House on infrastructure investment. Rhode Island's are in the worst shape in the nation, with 57% of its bridges falling into those categories.
One of them, Middle Road Bridge in East Greenwich, south of Providence, runs over a key freeway and leads to the town's high school. Buses filled with students have been rumbling over the 235-foot bridge for years. When Dan Paolino and his crew began maintenance work on it this summer, he found that some of the supporting beams underneath were so beaten down by time and rainwater that they were "paper-thin."


text:
Jessica Simpson has been having some pretty weird cravings during her pregnancy, but the singer says she is not going to bother herself with a strict diet until after her baby is born.
"I'm like, 'Yeah, I can do it. We'll worry about the rest afterwards,'" Simpson said.
When it comes to her cravings, Simpson admitted that she has been eating a lot of her childhood favorites.
"I had a buttered Pop Tart this morning. I'm eating a lot of stuff that I ate in my childhood. Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese, Pop Tarts, Cap'n Crunch. Everything's filled with sugar."
It seems as though her deal with Weight Watchers is going to come in handy once the baby arrives.
Image Sources:
January 22, 2012
She can eat what she wants -- afterall she's "getting paid" for losing the after baby weight --- so she might as well enjoy herself. Soon enough she'll be starving herself again to cash in on the contract.
January 22, 2012
Gestational diabetes, anyone?
January 23, 2012
I'm with you Lala! It's OK to have the cravings but how you deal with them especially when pregnant,... no need to "worry" but do/eat the right thing. There must be healthy ways to deal with the sugar cravings.
March 1, 2012
You don't know anything about this woman's health or her pregnancy, so when you play judgmental doctor with your cute little comments, it's only you who ends up lookin like a fool. It's like I woke up one morning and we were in the dark ages suddenly, with idiots thinking they need to judge everything happens in a uterus. The uteruses are doing just fine without your dirty nose poking in, thanks.
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text:
The Mother Hunt
About Us
News Coverage
Wolfe Pack News Releases
454 W. 35th Street
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Membership Info & Options
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(Please don't "Contact" us)
Archie's Corner
Depictions of Archie
Origin of Archie's Name
Dancing with Archie
The Churchill in the Corpus
Archie's Eating Habits
Archie Software?
Archie Goodwin--Renowned Comic/Fantasy Illustrator/Writer
Author Rex Stout
Rex Stout Overvieww
Author Overview & Misc.
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Author Media Coverage
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Home & Family Overview & Misc.
Early Life & Ancesters
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Corpus Summary Page
What is it about Nero Wolfe, the food-loving and orchid-fancying misogynist, that draws the most attractive, wealthy, and desperate females to his office? Could it possibly be his leg-man, Archie Goodwin? Archie, at least, is in for another reward in this latest of Nero's cases, and reader who have followed Archie's hairbreadth escapes from entrapment in the past will be left wondering at the end of this one. But not about who is guilty of the murders that follow Lucy Valdon's first visit to West 35th Street. It's a matter of maternity that brings her, and the trail that is blazed by a few handmade horsehair buttons has the rare effect of leading Nero out of his habitat and forcing him to set up shop outside.
Any one of whom could have been the mother of the four-month-old infant who had been abandoned on the beautiful widow's doorstep.
The big question was: WHICH ONE? The only person who knew for sure was dead.
And before Nero Wolfe and Archie could find the solution to the maddening mystery, two other violent deaths clouded the horizon.
"Maintaining integrity as a private detective is difficult; to preserve it for the hundred thousand words of a book would be impossible for me, as it has been for so many others. Nothing corrupts a man so deeply as writing a book; the myriad temptations are overwhelming." (p. 59)
At one point, Wolfe is so frustrated that he hurls his jacket at Archie. The scenes of Wolfe and Archie on the lam from the police are priceless.
Comments, Questions, Corrections:
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Please be sure to visit Steve's Train Party site!
©The Wolfe Pack 2000-2015
Last updated
March 16, 2015


text: There's been much talk in the press this week about Hollywood's Nicole Kidman possibly relocating to London. Apparently, she's moving out of the Los Angeles home she once shared with ex-husband Tom Cruise and is now looking to settle in a safer city to bring up their two children. She's spoken previously about her love for London, where she spent a lot of time while filming Eyes Wide Shut and performing in Sam Mendes' 1998 Donmar production of The Blue Room. But what theatregoers really want to know is, when is Kidman going to commit to a UK stage project? There have been rumours galore for years of her appearing back at the Donmar (at one point mooted to star in Mendes' farewell double bill of Uncle Vanya and Twelfth Night) and at the National in Trevor Nunn's production of Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea. The latter will now be seen at the Almeida in April, and speculation has continued that Kidman will finally figure in it, though no casting has been announced (See News, 9 Dec 2002). Speaking in today's Daily Mail, the Australian actress has again been pining for the London stage, encouraged by the high thesp count on her latest Oscar-tipped film release, The Hours, which was scripted by playwright David Hare, directed by former Royal Court chief Stephen Daldry and which co-starred Olivier winner Stephen Dillane. In addition to Daldry and Mendes, Kidman has now named another young British stage director she'd like to work with: up-and-comer Katie Mitchell. According to Kidman, "I've seen her work and I'd love to work with her. I want Sammy Mendes, Stephen Daldry and Katie to know I'm looking for something to do in London, either at the end of this year or early next. I love being in London - I could easily move there." Mitchell's next major project is a new mounting come late summer/autumn 2003 of Chekhov's Three Sisters at the NT Lyttelton (See News, 23 Jan 2003). Could Kidman be in the frame for that? Although NT artistic director-designate Nicholas Hytner has boycotted celebrity casting gimmicks at the South Bank, Kidman's name would certainly put that production on a par with another Three Sisters - starring Kristin Scott Thomas - which has been scheduled for the West End's Playhouse this spring (See Today's News).


text:
As she has done throughout much of the season, Anchorage Christian's Dallas Dickerson powered the Lions to a big win Thursday in the first round of the Class 3A girls state basketball tournament.
Dickerson's game-high 22 points outscored the opposition in a 63-21 win over Nome. The Lions, which also got 10 points from Sarah Geagel, didn't waste any time establishing power. They raced to a 16-0 lead after one quarter and led 26-9 at halftime.
Eight players scored for ACS, with Abby Crayton, Michelle Coderre and Hollie Duncan each tossing in eight points. Shayla Johnson led the way for Nome with six points.
ACS has finished in the top four in the last six state tournaments. The Lions appeared in four straight state championships game between 2007-10, winning titles in 2008 and 2009.
Sitka 37, Valdez 34
Behind 12 points from Sid Riggs, the Sitka girls slipped past Valdez 37-34 in a first-round game.
Megan Reid added a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds for Sitka, which led 6-0 after one quarter and 18-8 at halftime.
Valdez, led by 17 points from Alex Derifield, fell just short of a big comeback after outscoring the Wolves 19-13 in the final frame. Marian Wamsley pitched in 11 points and 13 rebounds for Valdez.
Barrow 50, Seward 30
Barrow's triple threat of Lynette Hepa, Hilary Lowery and Angela Miguel helped the Whalers trounce Seward 50-30.
The three combined for 41 points and 11 steals and contributed to a defense that limited the Seahawks to eight field goals.
Hepa, a 6-foot-4 senior, was worth 11 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and three steals. Lowery furnished 18 points, four rebounds, four steals and four assists, and Miguel chipped in 12 points and four steals.
Ashley VonBarstol put up team highs of seven points and nine rebounds for Seward.
Hutchison 44, Houston 34
Long-range accuracy made the difference in Hutchison's 44-34 triumph over Houston.
Led by Taylor Hastings' 2-of-3 shooting behind the arc, Hutchison hit six 3-pointers while Houston missed all nine of its 3-point attempts.
Neither team shot well -- Hutchison was 16 of 53 (6 of 19 3-pointers) and Houston was 12 of 54.
Elly Veazey gave Hutchison a big boost with nine points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots and four steals. Hastings and Kiana Edwards each scored 10 points and Alyson Yingling grabbed 10 rebounds.
Houston's NeNe Hale posted team highs of 12 points and nine rebounds.
Anchorage Daily News


text:
BackgroundIn this new chapter in the Oddworld series, step into the role of the Stranger, a mysterious bounty hunter who tracks down outlaws for moolah. Oddworld Stranger's Wrath combines 1st- and 3rd-person action and shooting, award-winning Oddworld visuals, and an all-new game engine to deliver an unparalleled gameplay experience. Equipped with a one-of-a-kind weapons system that gives a whole new meaning to "live" ammo, you will encounter massive environments, devious opponents, and hostile challenges along the way. Be sure to grill any townsfolk, enemies, and natives you come across because there's no telling what kind of info they have. Oh yeah, and always keep your highly unique -- and totally devastating -- double-barreled crossbow at the ready. It's a brave new Oddworld.
Game Play
- Live ammo... literally! Collect nine unique types of "live" ammunition including Chippunks, Fuzzles, Thudslugs, and Boombats.
- Upgrade your "live" ammo to increase the power and effectiveness of your arsenal.
- Employ different gameplay strategies as you switch smoothly between 1st- and 3rd-person action with the touch of a button.
- Subdue your bounties in 3rd person with melee attacks including ramming and head-butting, then turn the bounties in for moolah.
- Take aim in 1st person mode for an action-packed shooter experience with your trusty double-barreled crossbow.
- Customize your double-barreled crossbow with a wide range of ammo combinations.
- Living towns, lush forests, and massive industrial facilities -- there's plenty of room in the Oddworld universe for you to go about your mysterious business.
- You choose the bounties, allowing you to gather information on your quarry before going after 'em with everything you've got.
Hardware Infohttp://www.oddworld.com/
Recent threads
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD dated for Vita
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD proved a hit on PS3 when it released last December, and this December Vita owners... posted Dec 03, 12 7:44am
S-I-E and 2 others own Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD
Fluidityadded 4 new concept art
Jan 14, 12 8:03pm
Fluidityadded 3 new screenshots
Jan 13, 12 5:43pm
Weekly PSN update debuts Splinter Cell HD trilogy, Stranger's Wrath HD
[image1 link=yes width=650] The PlayStation Network closes out the year with a small but meaty update. Today,... posted Dec 27, 11 12:29pm
Stranger's Wrath HD hits PSN on December 27, new screens showcase graphics improvements
[image1 link=yes width=650] Just Add Water is ready to release Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD for PS3 owners... posted Dec 07, 11 10:34am
- Genre: Action Shooter (PS3)
- Theme(s): Alternate Reality, Dark Fantasy, Satire/Parody/Comedy
- Perspective(s): First Person
- Developer: Just Add Water
- Publisher: Karma Labs Inc.
Released North America Dec 27, 2011 Europe Dec 27, 2011 Japan Dec 27, 2011 Australia Dec 21, 2011
Oddworld Series
- Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty
- Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD
- Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
- Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
- Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee


text:
Lady Gregory's The Rising of the Moon was first produced by the Irish National Theatre on March 9, 1907. At the time, the National Theatre was still reeling from the public reaction to John Millington Synge's The Playboy of the Western World. When Playboy opened in January of that year, it was roundly condemned by Irish nationalists but received a generally favorable reception from the politically conservative Anglo-Irish community. Rising received almost the opposite reaction. The Anglo-Irish press criticized Gregory's play for presenting Irish police officers as bumbling and easily corrupted, while nationalist papers complimented the play's patriotic spirit. The reception of Synge's and Gregory's plays …
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Cusack, George. "The Rising of the Moon". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 26 November 2004
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=16619, accessed 05 July 2015.]


text:
January 27, 2006 11:06 AM PST
LA sues maker of 'Grand Theft Auto'
- Related Stories
Take-Two board member resigns over managementJanuary 26, 2006
Senators target 'graphic' video gamesNovember 29, 2005
Rockstar throws cold water on 'Hot Coffee'August 10, 2005
Hackers behind sex change, says 'Grand Theft' makerJuly 13, 2005
The city attorney of Los Angeles has filed a lawsuit against New York-based Take-Two Interactive Software, alleging that the company engaged in unfair business practices by covering up pornographic material in the popular video game in order to avoid an Adults Only rating from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board.
Many retailers refuse to sell titles with Adults Only ratings, limiting the market for such games.
"Greed and deception are part of the 'Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' story--and in that respect, its publishers are not much different from the characters in their story," Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo said in a statement Thursday. "Businesses have an obligation to truthfully disclose the content of their products--whether in the food we eat or the entertainment we consume."
A representative for Take-Two did not immediately return a call about the lawsuit.
News of the suit came the same day that a Take-Two board member resigned over concerns about the company's discovery of illicit images in the disputed game and a Federal Trade Commission investigation into the issue.
The sex scenes in the game, which the company initially blamed on hackers, have cause a public uproar. Retailers across the country pulled the game from store shelves last year, after it was rerated. Members of Congress began calling for a crackdown on the video game industry over violent and sexual content, and many states are weighing bills intended to address the issue.
According the Los Angeles city attorney, Take-Two sold more than 12 million copies of "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" before the game was rerated last summer. More than 200,000 copies have been sold in California to date, generating more than $10 million in retail sales, his office said.
The civil suit seeks a portion of the company's profits from sales of the game, in addition to fines. It's part of an ongoing investigation by Los Angeles into the marketing of video games.
See more CNET content tagged:
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., Grand Theft Auto, video game, attorney, Los Angeles
12 commentsJoin the conversation! Add your comment
- GTA made me do it...
- Im glad to know that states care about hidden features in a game that may include poorly rendered soft core dry humping. Honestly for a game that includes auto theft,pimping, murder,drugs etc etc etc one would think that hidden content like this wouldnt be anything to scoff at.
Get your GTA made me do it t-shirts
http://www.zestuff.com/product.php?productid=59&cat=4&page=1
- Like Reply Link Flag
- I agree&
- I don't know why, but it seems to be an american mentality that sex
is worse than violence. As a father, I can open dialogue and explain
sex to my kids, but how do you explain violence. I can understand
that the city is suing because of misinformation of the games
contents, on that ground they are correct, it's the moral conflict I
don't grasp. How is Sex for adults, but violence is not? If parents
are worried that kids will emulate the actions, I would be more
worried about kids packing heat, than being exposed to sex.
- Like Link Flag
- They just need money...
- I wrote about this here:
http://robztechblog.com/wordpress/
- Like Reply Link Flag
- moral, but not legally justifiable
- I can't see how this is legally justifiable.
The sex scene might have been included in the game code, but it was not accessible to users so it should not be considered as part of the game.
Things might have been different if there was a cheat code to access it or if it were a secret bonus level, but no, users actually had to download a third party patch that modified the game and make this scene accessible.
This code is inaccesible under normal conditions, so it should not be counted as part of the game.
What next? suppose I were to root through the source code for Windows and find that one of the programmers had put a dirty word as a comment next to an annoying section of code inside a DLL file that was included deep within the compiled version of the Windows OS, completely inaccessible to users.
Would this lead to a law suit from angry mother's whose kids used windows at school?
- Like Reply Link Flag
- How much is LA entitled to?
- Let's just say that Take Two loses the case, and is found liable to L.A. for the content it included in their game.
How much should LA get from the profits of sales of that single title? Are they entitled to even 100% of the sales from within the city? Sure 200,000 copies were sold in the state, but how much does one city in that state get?
If Take Two released the title unaware of the hidden content it's programmers slid into it, wouldn't that too make Wal-Mart, BestBuy and other retailers just as guilty?
It seems that LA is after money more than being punative for the commission of a crime that will be difficult to prove was intended by the company.
- Like Reply Link Flag
- It's not about the money...
- It's about publicity. This is just another example of someone trying to get ahead in politics. Rocky Delgadillo is trying to get some big press for himself. He doesn't care one bit about Rockstar or Hot Coffee. Delgadillo and his crew whose bringing about this suit doesn't even care if he wins or loses because what he wanted to achieve has been accomplished, the press is all over this story. Rocky Delgadillo is currently running for Attorney General of California. Never EVER trust a politician.
- Like Link Flag


text:
News 1 - 4 of 4
Amanda Holden Returns to 'Britain's Got Talent' on Mother's DayMarch 18, 2011 04:03:03
The actress who lost her baby at seventh-month pregnancy is to tape the audition stages of the hit British show on April 3.
Amanda Holden to Return to TV After Losing BabyFebruary 08, 2011 04:02:13
The 'Britain's Got Talent' judge, whose baby stopped breathing at 7 months pregnancy, is set to make a return soon.
Amanda Holden 'Utterly Devastated' After Losing BabyFebruary 07, 2011 11:02:19
The Brit star lost the baby seven months into her pregnancy although she 'had been closely monitored throughout her pregnancy.'
Amanda Holden Announces She Is Six Months PregnantJanuary 03, 2011 11:01:35
The 'Britain's Got Talent' judge reveals she is expecting her second child with husband Chris Hughes after keeping it quiet for a long time.


text:
Several Republican state attorneys general called a key provision of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional and asked the Supreme Court to strike it down.
The officials from Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas submitted a brief in a closely watched case arguing that the law oversteps federal authority and places an unfair burden on certain states.
The case at issue involves a plan to reshape a district in Shelby County, Ala., a largely white suburb of Birmingham. The new district maps led to the sole black council member in one of the county's towns losing his seat. But the Justice Department blocked the certification of the voting results, and the town eventually redrew its districts. The black council member later re-won his seat.
Under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, certain states and jurisdictions with a history of disenfranchising voters must seek federal approval, called preclearance, before they can change their voting rules. The law was considered one of the great achievements of the civil rights movement, as it blocked states and towns from using tactics like poll taxes and literacy tests that were meant to keep blacks from voting.
But the officials contended in their brief that the areas that must submit to preclearance -- "covered jurisdictions" -- are unfairly singled out and that many of their regions have higher minority turnout than many places that don't have to get federal approval before changing their election rules.
A covered region can "bail out" of those strictures if it shows that it hasn't discriminated against voters in the preceding 10 years, has followed the preclearance rules, has ended voting practices that prevent "equal access to the electoral process," has attempted to make registering to vote easier and has fought efforts to intimidate voters.
The brief asserts that the list of states that have to get approval is "obsolete" and "not linked to current conditions" and that the law is overriding their ability to make their own rules. It also argues that bailing out is "illusory," because no states have been able to get out of the preclearance rules. Dozens of individual counties and towns, however, have been able to successfully bail out.
The National Black Chamber Of Commerce, which is officially nonpartisan but tends to support conservative causes, weighed in with a brief of its own, also calling for the rules to be struck down.
"The government officials who are partners in this effort are people of good faith, and do not deserve to be labeled and treated as presumptive discriminators," the NBCC brief read. "Federal control of elections, through the 'preclearance' process, undermines these officials' authority and flexibility, to the ultimate detriment of their constituents – many of them minorities. Worse, Section 5 has been abused in some instances to reinforce stereotypes regarding minority voters' preferences and affiliations, preventing voters who do not embody these stereotypes from electing their candidates of choice."
The briefs come just days before a three-judge panel is set to rule on the constitutionality of South Carolina's voter ID law in a trial set to begin on Monday. The voter ID law was blocked by the Justice Department late last year, and South Carolina is one of nine states that must get federal preclearance.
Voter ID laws have been passed in eleven states since the 2010 midterm elections, during which Republicans picked up several statehouses. Supporters of the laws, which require that voters present ID before they cast ballots at polling centers, argue that they're necessary to prevent in-person voter fraud. All of the states that have passed voter ID laws since 2011 have Republican governors and Republican-controlled statehouses.
But studies have shown that in-person voter fraud is virtually nonexistent, and a wave of critics of the laws contend that the groups most likely to be turned away at the polls for not having valid state-issued IDs -- African Americans, Latinos, the poor and young voters -- are also groups that traditionally vote Democratic.
"According to South Carolina's own data, minority registered voters were nearly 20 percent more likely to lack a photo ID issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles than white registered voters, and thus to be effectively disfranchised by the state's proposed requirements," said Leah Aden of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. "Indeed, there are more than 80,000 registered minority citizens in South Carolina who lack a DMV-issued photo ID."
The group also said that one in four African Americans and 16 percent of Latinos nationwide lack a government-issued ID.
Tensions run high in Florida, a critical battleground state that passed an election law last year with several contested provisions. One bans a decade-long practice of early voting on Sundays before the election -- a window when as many as 30 percent of black voters have previously cast ballots after attending church in a "souls to the polls" movement. Republican lawmakers claim the provision is meant to reduce election fraud, but some black Democrats say the calculation is more sinister. "It's my feeling it was done deliberately, a premeditated design, to suppress the vote of African-Americans in this country because it's playing out all over the nation in every state. It was intentional," Florida Sen. Arthenia Joyner (D-Tampa) said.
The Justice Department dealt a blow to South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's law requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls, arguing that it discriminated along racial lines. Haley's administration fired back with a lawsuit that is expected to be decided in September. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) said earlier this year that Republicans hope to tip the outcome of the presidential election by lowering voter turnout by 1 percent in each of nine states that have passed voter ID laws, the West Ashley Patch reports. "I know nothing has changed yet," he said. "But I just do not trust the judiciary that we're operating under."
Under Pennsylvania's new voter ID law, voters must show a photo ID issued by the state or federal government. The state-issued IDs are free, but getting one requires a birth certificate, which costs $10 in Pennsylvania. Not everyone is having an easy time navigating the new system. Earlier this month, Viviette Applewhite, 93, filed a lawsuit with the ACLU and NAACP challenging the law. Applewhite, who marched with Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement, does not have a driver's license, and the state cannot find her birth certificate. She is afraid that this year will be the first since 1960 that she will be unable to vote. Applewhite's dilemma is not uncommon. Some 700,000 Pennsylvanians lack photo ID and half of them are seniors. According to the Brennan Center, 25 percent of voting-age black citizens have no government-issued photo ID, compared to 8 percent of white citizens.
The Kansas House voted earlier this year to move up the date a proof of citizenship law goes into effect to June 15, 2012, so it will limit who can vote in the presidential election. HuffPost's John Celock reports: Rep. Ann Mah (D-Topeka) said the entire idea of proof of citizenship to vote would fail in court due to it being discriminatory against married women who change their names. Mah said that women who change their name need to provide proof of marriage and citizenship and an affidavit regarding the name change. Rep. Scott Schwab (R-Olathe) took issue with Mah's claims of court challenges. "I get frustrated that everyone who does not like policy says we'll end up in court," he said. Only 48 percent of voting-age women with access to their birth certificates have a birth certificate with a current legal name, which means that as many as 32 million American women do not have proof of citizenship with their current legal name, according to the Brennan Center. The bill to change the start date eventually failed, but will still go into effect next year.
Last year, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed a voter ID bill into law, calling it a "common sense reform" that would "go a long way to protecting the integrity of elections in Wisconsin." As Walker's June 5 recall election approached, two judges suspended it on the basis that it is unconstitutional. Still, poll workers reportedly asked some voters to show photo ID during Wisconsin's April 2 primary, and one woman said that she and her 87-year-old mother were turned away at the polls because they lacked current photo IDs -- even though they were registered to vote. "We were listed on their friggin' poll list and yet we had our names highlighted," the woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.


text:
Over a period of time, the role of teachers have changed and they are more a friend or a welwisher to their students. A teacher is the cream and torch-bearer of any society. The explosion of media and technology has broadened the perspective of the student with increasing option of gathering information or knowledge.
Teachers play a valuable role in today's society. They play an integral part in the process of its forming as they are the front line of instruction. The Government may make the standard and suggest ways of assessment and the administrators may direct the teachers in method and techniques, but it is the teacher who teaches.
With children being brighter every day the role of teachers are bound to change. Today they have to face more intensive challenges than it was 30 years ago. When we speak of good teacher it means that a teacher must be a model of faith and piety and should have fairly good knowledge. He should know the art of teaching with a deep insight into child psychology.
The most powerful and effective way teachers can help students overcome the negative influences in their environment is by developing close and caring connection with students. Parents, primary care givers, extended family members, friends, community members and youth leaders can all play important role in rebuilding the personality of children.
Teachers must have a passion for teaching inorder to make a career of public education. That passion may come across in their love of a specific content area but it also comes out in how their specific content area is appropriated to society. When the time comes for the students to become an upstanding member or a pillar of society these lessons will stay with them.
Mrs. Smita Sharma, Head Mistress,
Sai Holy Faith High School
Navi Mumbai