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Engagement Best Practice: Case Studies
- DFID – SCS Recruitment
- DVLA – Improving Engagement
- UKBA – Improving Engagement
- IPS – Redeployment Support
- DVLA – Wellbeing & Sickness Absence
- FCO – Flexible Working
- HMRC – Segmentation
- MOJ – Ideas for Better Working
- DWP – Senior Management Visibility
Staff Engagement Recruitment Exercise
DFID has taken a strategic approach to ensuring its senior management demonstrate effective engagement skills. The organisation has introduced a staff engagement exercise which has become a mandatory part of the recruitment process for staff seeking positions at SCS grade.
DFID has tended to score well in many aspects of workforce engagement, with the organisation achieving an engagement index score of 70% in the 2011 People Survey. This is fourteen points higher than the CSPS 2011 median benchmark. When it comes to Leadership & Management issues, scores have been more variable. Therefore, to address some of these issues and ensure its senior managers demonstrate effective staff engagement and management skills together with excellent technical skills DFID developed this new recruitment process.
The exercise assessed a candidate's ability to:
- engage with staff in analysing issues and shaping a response
- weigh up the costs/benefits and impact of possible responses
- apply their knowledge of people management
- galvanise commitment behind the agreed actions; and
- reflect upon their own behaviour and evaluate its impact
The exercise involves a 30 minute session where the candidate interacts with a selected group of staff (four to five) from across the organisation. The candidate's objective is to better understand a set of recent People Survey results and identify some possible actions. The candidate is expected to explore the People Survey results with the group and try to understand what the key issues are and begin to develop some ideas/options for addressing these issues with the group.
Candidates are expected to behave and interact with the group in a manner that is in keeping with a staff meeting between a Deputy Director and a small group of staff in their 'new' team. Directly after the exercise the candidate is de-briefed by an assessor to reflect on how the session went, what they learned, and what they might do differently. At the same time the second assessor debriefs the staff group and the feedback for both elements is scored and combined to rank the performance of each candidate.
This exercise is assessed together with the other elements of the recruitment process to determine whether the candidate's leadership competence is sufficient to be considered eligible for any SCS post in DFID. All candidates are given feedback on their performance by a member of the DFID Management Board and those who were unsuccessful remain eligible to re-apply and participate in future recruitment exercises to the SCS.
The DFID Management Board was delighted with the process and standard of successful candidates. The rigorous recruitment process resulted in high quality candidates coming through, all of whom demonstrated effective staff engagement, management and leadership skills. The exercise underscores the value DFID places on engagement as well as its commitment to improving the organisation based upon specific feedback received from People Survey results.
Changing organisaional culture and improving engagment
In 2007, DVLA's contact centre formulated a vision for positioning the organisation as the leading public sector contact centre by 2012. Management realised it would need to create a 'cultural shift' within the organisation in order to achieve this vision. They aimed to create a vibrant, customer focused environment where staff felt valued, empowered, respected and recognised for their achievements
As a first step after setting out its vision, management designed a plan which focussed on four pillars: performance, leadership, customer satisfaction and culture. A key component of the plan involved upskilling and training its people as well as improving processes and service levels.
A comprehensive multi-skilling strategy was developed which ensured that managers and leaders could help the centre's people realise their full potential. The training programme applies to staff at all levels and includes general people management upskilling, techniques and models for managing change as well as general technical skills training which allows staff to broaden their capabilities.
The contact centre also developed a rewards and recognition framework that is designed to reward people for good ideas, recognise outstanding performance and motivate staff to do their best. This framework includes a 'Star of the Month' award where individuals who go the 'extra mile' are recognised. Token gestures such as vouchers for the staff cafe, choose your own shift or car parking space are presented to star performers as a way of saying 'thank you' for their superlative work.
The organisation also aimed to place a greater emphasis on creating an environment where managers coach staff towards achieving objectives rather than an approach which favours giving orders from the top down. As part of the performance management process, staff are now asked about how they would like to develop their skills in their own day job. Additionally, staff are given the opportunity to talk about how they would like their career to develop further down the line, as part of the performance management process. Whenever possible, they are also given the necessary support to achieve their individual goals.
The communication framework has a strong emphasis on face to face communication and promoting staff involvement. This includes weekly team meetings, monthly review meetings,open sessions with senior managers and six monthly seminars for all staff. Advisors also undertake the role of Communication Representatives, attending team meetings to provide 2-way communication. This peer-to-peer approach has proved very effective in delivering key messages and gathering feedback on the effectiveness of specific communications.
The centre recognises that technology plays a crucial role in ensuring that the contact centre is able to excel in delivering excellent customer service. The organisation therefore places a great deal of emphasis on ensuring that staff are given access to the appropriate equipment and tools so that they are able to perform at their highest potential.
Management also made a firm commitment to listening to staff at all levels. Regular 'coffee hour' sessions, open to all staff, are now regularly held with Director of Contact Centre Services , allowing people to speak openly with senior management about issues, concerns or ideas for better ways of working. Furthermore knowledge sharing of best practice is encouraged through initiatives such as exchange visits where people from the contact centre visit other units within DVLA and vice-versa.
Since it set out its vision in 2007, the contact centre has won numerous awards and
achievements in recognition of the progress it has made towards achieving its original objective of becoming the leading public sector contact centre. The centre won 'Best Improvement Strategy' in the European Call Centre Awards (2007) as well as the People Development Award (2007) and the Excellence Award for Support Team (2008) in the Welsh Contact Centre awards. In October 2012, the centre also won the prestigious Customer Contact Association (CCA) 'Overall Centre of the Year Award'. These awards have gone some way towards confirming that the contact centre has achieved its original objective of positioning itself as the leader in the delivery of contact centre customer service by 2012.
Further proof of this realisation is evidenced by the cultural shift that has taken place within the organisation over the past five years. The centre has become a truly vibrant organisation where staff feel empowered, valued and motivated to do their best. This is evidenced by the unit's consistently high results in the Civil Service People Survey. The centre's results for the themes of 'Leadership and Managing Change' and 'Pay and Benefits' sit well above the Civil Service High Performers scores for these categories: 16 percentage points and 18 percentage points above the Civil Service high performing unit scores respectively.
The contact centre aims to continue to set high standards for customer service over the years to come. Management are committed to ensuring that employee engagement remains at the forefront and that the centre remains a vibrant place to work where staff feel valued, empowered, respected and recognised for their achievements. The Contact Centre is currently working on a new vision and values.
Improved Engagement at UKBA Regional Office for North East, Yorkshire and the Humber
The regional office of the UK Border Agency for The North East, Yorkshire and the Humber has recently seen a jump in staff engagement scores. The office took decisive steps following results from last year's People Survey and managed to improve their staff engagement score by 9% this year, even in the face of continuing uncertainties for staff regarding major IT upgrades and movement of work into specialised hubs.
Steps taken to improve engagement included:
- Having each deputy director run 'surgeries' to open up lines of communication and seek ideas from the business as to what works well and what could be improved upon.
- Tailoring the approach for various business units so as to meet the unique needs of staff. For example, one unit established a 'let's talk' action plan where weekly meetings were held by senior and middle managers and their teams, with set agendas including performance,
- quality, policy and HR.
- Introducing team communication whiteboards, including information on performance, quality, attendance and intelligence issues. This improved communications and brought messages to teams on a daily level.
- Providing training to some teams. Managers were given training on Business Intelligence and how to best support staff and weekly quality results were emailed to managers to feedback to staff at team meetings.
- Improving change management techniques. For example announcements of policy changes affecting a large number of staff, were presented verbally at whole-floor meetings by deputy directors with other senior managers present, thereby allowing staff to ask questions at an early stage
This year, the focus for engagement is already underway with an engagement plan being developed based upon the results of the staff survey 2011, with emphasis placed on continuing the upward trend.
MyFuture: Engagement in action
In 2010, the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) underwent a series of changes following the end of the National Identity Service and the Comprehensive Spending Review which resulted in a large number of jobs being cut and staff needing to find work elsewhere.
In July 2010, following feedback at a 'Town Hall' meeting, the Myfuture initiative was set up with the aim of supporting staff in the redeployment network both in seeking work, and more generally. A group of people including redeployees and other IPS staff from across the organisation set about developing an online space on the IPS intranet for staff in redeployment, as well as plans for giving them a physical space where they could concentrate on job applications and preparation.
The online space, hosted on the IPS intranet, had four main areas: practical support, including access to job applications, financial advice and training; support for line managers to help them manage staff in the redeployment network; emotional support; and a social network for people to interact and share advice and experiences. Volunteers wrote guidance on job-hunting, writing applications and interview preparation, provided advice on where to go for support on a range of issues from financial to emotional, and set up a Skills Exchange Network so that skills could be shared to give colleagues a better chance to find a new job. The site could also be used to access learning: the Learning and Development team arranged training to help with job-hunting and skills development, and the HR Business Partner network arranged financial awareness seminars provided free by experts.
It was felt that it can be very difficult to concentrate on applying for other roles when you are working in an office environment, especially when people around you are busily doing work that you used to be involved in. One active member of the Myfuture team suggested that Myfuture could use the Identity Commissioner's Office, left empty following the end of the Commissioner's role. The area provided a relaxed space for people to search for jobs and prepare applications, training and development activities for small groups, and where people could meet for coaching and to compare experiences and share tips.
As time progressed and decisions were taken to make reductions in the size of other operational areas, such as the Interview Office Network and the Newport Passport Office, the Myfuture project responded by transforming itself into a virtual team; which consisted of people from various parts of IPS, holding bi-weekly conference calls to share information and ideas for events and services, that were then replicated at various locations around the country. This team also supported the set up of a centre in Croydon, through sharing all the existing materials and information they had generated with UKBA – this space was then made available to all Home Office employees in redeployment. Following the expiry of the lease on the Identity Commissioner's office, the equipment from the London Myfuture centre was sent to the Newport Passport Office, and the team wasted no time in supporting colleagues down there with how to set up and run another Myfuture centre in Wales.
Myfuture gave people a supportive, positive environment, with guidance, advice and help from colleagues. Thanks to the tips on job-hunting, help on applying and interviewing as well as the ability to share the ups and downs of a difficult situation with others, those who lost their roles through restructuring or the end of the National Identity Service were able to look to the future and move on to jobs, sometimes using their skills and experience elsewhere in the Civil Service and sometimes leaving for new pastures. The Myfuture initiative helped IPS to manage the changes to the organisation, which involved significant reduction in staff, in a sensitive way so that staff who remained in IPS knew that colleagues had been treated with support and respect.
The commitment of the organisation's leadership to Myfuture, and the approach that empowered the project group to develop the initiative as they felt appropriate, has also had a positive effect on perceptions of leadership as well as allowing Myfuture to understand and meet the needs of staff in redeployment, since many were involved in its development. Myfuture leveraged the skills and facilitated the transfer of knowledge that was already in the organisation, opening up to staff the developmental opportunity to coach and mentor colleagues. Also, among those providing support were senior civil servants which reinforced the commitment of leadership. Because staff volunteered their time and efforts to the group, and all involved were committed to using either free resources or those already available, there was little additional outlay but great benefit to all who used the Myfuture online and physical spaces.
Myfuture is a staff support system developed to give advice, guidance and support to staff in IPS. It began with a question to the Chief Executive from someone brave enough to ask 'what about us?', and developed thanks to the courage and hard work of a people from across the organisation. It helped individuals to find new jobs, and the organisation to manage the staff reductions sensitively as well as being taken on by other organisations for the support of their redeployment network.
Health, Wellbeing and Attendance at DVLA
Rates of sickness absence at DVLA have halved since 2005, following the implementation of a proactive and preventative strategy to managing attendance that focuses on health and wellbeing. DVLA's experience has shown that capability and good management are the keys in successfully implementing a health and wellbeing strategy. Changes alone cannot guarantee good results; however where changes are managed well, employee engagement tends to increase and sickness absence tends to decrease.
DVLA is a fairly large organisation, employing over 6000 staff. Around 60% of its staff are female, and the majority are employed in routine administrative roles, with approximately 75% earning less than £21,000. In 2005, sickness absence averaged 14 days per person, costing £10.3million and leading to the publication, in 2007, of a National Audit Office report criticising the Agency. Absence rates at DVLA are highest in contact centre environments, where over 700 staff are based, and around 60% of absence days are long term (over a month).
DVLA took an approach to addressing sickness absence that focused on health, wellbeing and attendance. The aims were to improve wellbeing and the working environment, move from a culture of 'illness' to 'wellness', and develop an engaged, inclusive workforce. To achieve these, HR developed a strategic, integrated programme of work delivered through six key strands: Culture, Policy and Procedures, Support, Health and Wellbeing, Capability, and Management Information.
The initial focus of the programme was to intervene in areas where impacts could be seen quite quickly. The first steps were to develop more detailed management information, review and update policies and procedures, and develop short guides to support staff and managers. Corporate objectives on attendance were introduced for staff and managers, and more robust management of long term cases was implemented, including earlier referral, a policy of keeping in touch during absence and proactive rehabilitation. A new training course was also developed and launched to improve the capability of line managers.
While such procedural actions were implemented straight away, it was recognised that the goals of the strategy would not be achieved by these alone, but also required proactive steps to increase health and wellbeing. Targeted wellbeing initiatives were thus also developed from early on. These comprised:
- A Quality of Working Life Survey – with an action plan implemented to address issues raised through it.
- Health Promotion – a focus on wellness rather than illness, with a calendar of monthly activities in place and initiatives including a pedometer challenge, weight management programme, and smoking cessation classes.
- Proactive Occupational Health and wellbeing services – earlier support for stress-related absences and access to a physiotherapist for musculoskeletal disorders. Closer links were also developed with local GPs to ensure staff are given appropriate rehabilitation assistance and in preparation for the introduction of 'fit notes' to replace sick notes.
- Employee Assistance Programme – staff and their immediate families have access to a 24- hour telephone based counselling service, including information on debt and legal matters.
- Support to improve lifestyle – a fully equipped and staffed fitness centre has opened, walking trails have been marked around the estate and cycle support schemes have been re-promoted.
The results of the strategy have been notable. Between December 2005 and June 2011, sickness absence in DVLA almost halved from an average of 14 to 7.2 days per person, leading to annual savings of £5.5million. There are now 200 additional staff in work each day, resulting in a much more productive workforce. Engagement was one part of the broader health and wellbeing focus of the strategy, and improvements were also demonstrated in this area. DVLA's engagement score, as measured by the Civil Service People Survey, increased by 4% between 2009 and 2011 (from 51% to 55%). In 2010, DVLA won the prestigious Civil Service Human Resource Award, in recognition of the work undertaken by the Agency to improve staff engagement and wellbeing in support of organisational efficiency.
Work around the strategy is still ongoing, with a flexible approach adopted, so that the programme can respond to changing circumstances and new issues. Work is being undertaken on occupational health (OH). There are ongoing assessments of which OH issues to cover, leading to the development of a programme of monthly health promotion events. Additionally, a focus on mental health has been initiated in response to a recent increase in absence due to stress and mental health issues. The Agency is taking a renewed look at the cultural aspects of sickness absence, and aligning with national campaigns around mental health to address stigmatisation and promote more open discussion of the importance of mental wellbeing.
Management information reports on sickness absence have now been developed and established. The data emerging from them is regularly analysed to enable HR to identify changes in attendance and take early action to address them. Recent reviews have identified the need for additional capability around managing sickness absence, leading to more support and training for managers in this area. Directors continue to meet on a monthly basis to discuss the data and flag up any emerging issues in their part of the business. In addition, the Agency continues to monitor best practice and changes introduced elsewhere to policies and procedures. It is then considered whether these would work at DVLA, with pilots set up to test out new ideas.
Preliminary analysis conducted by the Analysis and Insight Team at Cabinet Office on data from DVLA shows that increased engagement and decreased sickness absence are likely to go hand in hand. It finds that if DVLA continues to focus on health, wellbeing and engagement, and manages
this focus well, the positive results they have seen in terms of sickness absence are likely to continue, and possibly improve, over time.
The analysis finds a relationship between engagement and overall average working days lost (AWDL) and between engagement and the proportion of staff without sickness absence (after controlling for grade). It also finds a relationship between engagement and the average number of single day absences. From this analysis, it is possible to theorise that for a 10% increase in the engagement index we would expect to see a 1.1 day reduction in overall AWDL, including a 0.3 day reduction in short-term sickness absence (absences of less than one week) and a 0.6 day reduction in long-term sickness absence (absences of four weeks or more). We could also theorise that a 10% increase in engagement would lead to an increase in the proportion of staff with no sickness absence in the preceding 12 months by 8%, and for a unit of 100 staff there would be 9 fewer single day absences per year.
The ongoing work being undertaken by DVLA in this area is encouraging, and is likely to lead to the Agency sustaining and building on its successes in reducing sickness absence and increasing wellbeing. DVLA's renewed focus on building managerial capability is essential to ensuring that changes are managed sensitively and effectively, and so to increasing the likelihood that the health, wellbeing and attendance strategy will continue to deliver positive results.
Flexible Working
Many Foreign & Commonwealth staff in the UK and overseas have agreed flexible working patterns which meet the overarching business need and suit them personally. The benefits of business efficient flexible working are widely recognised – more motivated, productive and happier staff, reduced stress and absenteeism.
For the FCO, the additional effort that must go into making flexible working a success, on the part of staff and managers, is justified. Results from the Staff Engagement Survey show that FCO staff consistently scores highly compared with the civil service benchmark. In the 2011 Staff Engagement Survey, for example, FCO scored six percentage points higher than the civil service benchmark in the drivers of engagement related to the 'My Work' theme.
While significant benefits can be realised by offering flexible working options, a number of considerations and factors must be addressed for flexible working to be successful. The FCO has identified several key considerations and factors that will influence the success of flexible working. These include:
• Vision – on what home working can deliver for the organisation and the team.
• Culture – a positive mindset. It is necessary to trust that your employees can manage their own time and deliver.
• Process – clear structure of positions, thoughtful tasking, considered use of meetings, to ensure that objectives can be met while working flexibly.
• Property – space in buildings for remote workers to touch down.
• Technology – the most important enabler. People must have the ability to communicate reliably and securely.
• Awareness of Security Considerations, data protection issues and access to relevant guidance.
Managers and staff need to invest more in their relationship, have a high degree of trust, and be conscious of the constraints imposed by flexible working. It is important for managers to bear in mind that the majority of staff want to deliver, achieve objectives and excel, and high performance can still be achieved and measured if a member of staff works remotely.
Staff working flexibly must ensure that colleagues and managers are regularly kept abreast of their activity. This might involve regular update emails, phone calls or progress reports, particularly in cases where staff are working remotely on a full-time or nearly full-time basis.
The FCO has identified several key benefits that flexible working offers, both to the organisation and to the individual. These include:
• Cost – reduction in estate running costs (and CO2 emissions) given that FCO do not need to provide a fixed desk for every member of staff.
• Efficiency – it is easier to set aside time for more strategic thinking and work on complex or lengthy drafting, and encourages a less demand-driven and meetings-based culture.
• Productivity – reduction in absenteeism. Remote working can reduce sick leave by 20% as staff are often still able to work if they do not have to commute.
• Morale – offering flexible working often leads to greater job satisfaction and to increased levels of morale. This in turn helps to drive higher performance amongst staff.
• Global coverage – flexible working provides the opportunity to extend operating hours. If, for example, remote workers work in different time zones, they can cover different shifts or regions more easily.
• Diversity – greater flexibility helps to contribute to ensuring FCO have a diverse and skilled workforce that reflects society. Organisations have found more women will return from maternity leave if flexible/remote working is available.
• Business continuity – This can be particularly helpful when big events, such as the Olympics or national strikes, affect infrastructure in London.
Workers from a wide variety of posts and grades across the organisation work flexibly. Christine Ferguson, Head of Information Management and FCO Departmental Records Officer, has worked flexibly for a number of years. She works three days in the office and normally works two days a week from home. This arrangement allows her to commit the necessary time required to transport her children for their schooling and other commitments before her workday begins and after it ends. This is something that would not be possible if she had to commute into London every day.
Crucially, Christine has access to effective IT infrastructure which allows her to work effectively whether she is in the office or working remotely. The flexible working arrangements do not interfere with her general working practices or the overall business of her Department in any way. In fact thanks to the flexible working patterns of staff within the unit, a very large window of support coverage is available within the department, without any increased costs incurred by the organisation.
The FCO has a 'Flexible Working Network'. This network aims to offer flexible workers or staff considering flexible work support and informal advice as well as pointing them towards official guidance. It aims to support and advise those line managing flexible workers and raise awareness of the right to request flexibility.
There is clear guidance for staff and managers on flexible working in the form of an on line toolkit which outlines full details of the FCO's policies in this area.
The FCO makes clear that although flexible working is suitable for many posts, it is not suitable for every job or every individual. It can't be an entitlement, nor will it become compulsory. It must first and foremost suit the business need.
Flexible working throws up challenges for the FCO and working practices and management relationships require more thought and effort. But it also supports the FCO's objective to deliver the right workforce with the right skills, while nurturing diversity across the organisation and boosting staff morale.
Employee Segmentation
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) was formed in 2005, following the merger of Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise Departments. As part of a strategy to improve its efficiency by 5% year on year to 2011, it has made significant reductions in staff numbers and currently employs the equivalent of 68,000 full-time people.
Employee engagement surveys have shown a continuing need to motivate and engage HMRC staff. At the end of 2009, the department began developing an employee engagement strategy and recognised the need to include colleague segmentation to support the communication and embedding of a wider customer-centred business strategy. Focus groups and one-to-one interviews were held with staff at different levels and almost 6,000 people, in all grades and from a range of locations across the UK, completed an online survey. Drawing on the survey findings the results were used to establish what staff attitudes and motivations really were and provide a deep level of insight into the drivers of colleague engagement.
It emerged that initial assumptions that employee engagement levels might be adequately reflected, by aggregated scores on motivation or desire to stay in the organisation, were incorrect. Measuring engagement by people's alignment with organisational objectives, or their willingness to 'go the extra mile', failed to do justice to the range of factors that influenced their behaviour. What was needed was to look beyond the results for the workforce as a whole and focus on the attitudes and motivation of individual employees.
Researchers were able to segment the workforce into five coherent, relevant and mutually exclusive groups united in their attitudes:
- committed enthusiasts (high engagement/high passion)
- frustrated enthusiasts
- dependable contributors
- quiet advocates
- disconnected (low engagement/low passion).
All of the segments have clear demographic characteristics such as grade, location, directorate or length of service. HMRC believe they are the only government department that has so far adopted this segmentation approach to explore employee engagement. Many departments use a linear segmentation model but in the current challenging climate it is not realistic to expect to drive people up the segments from highly disengaged to highly engaged. The five colleague engagement segments developed by HMRC are distinct, unique and mutually exclusive and encourage managers/leaders to take a bespoke approach to employee engagement.
The results mean that the HR department can help line managers to take a more tailored approach and focus their efforts where they will be most effective.
Ideas Street
Staff at the Ministry of Justice have been actively leading the way by suggesting how business can be done better through their participation on 'Idea Street', the Department's online innovation website. Launched to all MoJ employees in September 2011, the site currently has over 1800 users who use their first hand knowledge and experience to devise solutions to everyday work problems so that that real value and better outcomes can be delivered in the Department and across the justice system.
Through their participation on 'Idea Street', MoJ employees have shown how money can be saved by reducing the time taken to travel to meetings and suggesting court and tribunal interpreter cost reductions. All these ideas have now been implemented and this success rests firmly on staff engaging directly with each other, sharing the detail of what may or may not work and pinpointing where opportunities may lie.
The 'Idea Street' concept is based around employees posting helpful ideas on the community site. With the support of other users voting for ideas which they think are workable and generating discussion around them, the ideas deemed most popular will move through 3 different stages – buzz, teaming and investment time. Once an idea makes it to 'investment time', an 'expert' will be identified by the Idea Street Administration Team to assess and evaluate the feasibility of the idea for implementation.
Participation on the site has also helped break down barriers across the Department with all parts of the Ministry – with the frontline and corporate offices coming together to share thoughts and views to strengthen the suggestions that are being posted on Idea Street so that they stand a better chance of being implemented.
To date, ideas ranging from having 'paperless files', instituting a directory of support services' , 'reducing the number of laptops', ' courts sitting at weekends, 'amending court and legal aid rules for divorce proceedings' have been generating interesting discussion on the site.
With over 22 ideas now awaiting expert feedback and over 220 live ideas inviting votes and discussion on 'Idea Street', the potential for driving positive change in the Ministry through staff participation and leadership is considerable.
Back to the floor initiative launched by the Department for Work and Pensions
Once a year all DWP senior colleagues are asked to go back to the floor to spend a week working with a variety of staff who directly serve customers. Over 200 senior colleagues did so in 2009-10. This frontline experience gives senior colleagues ideas on what works well for delivering great customer service, and allows them to gain people's direct input for service improvements. The previous DWP Permanent Secretary, went back to the floor in each of the last 4 years of the scheme, and shared his experiences through a published personal diary. He said of the scheme "every time an SCS colleague goes Back to the Floor we learn something we can do better". The initiative is well received by DWP staff with recent evaluation showing that they greatly value seeing senior colleagues experiencing their world at first hand.


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That however, is disturbing. ;0;
both my dogs have chow in them and their tongues are spotted
my schools mascot is a panda :/
omg Woohoo! im the first to say it! in your pace cannibal
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subset: commoncrawl


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Twins happy to see old friend Mike Redmond
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Indians catcher Mike Redmond, who backed up Joe Mauer from 2005-2009, is now the backup catcher in Cleveland. He's also the personal catcher for starting pitcher Fausto Carmona, who the Twins will not face in this series.
"I miss the guy," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said, after running into Redmond before batting practice. "Everything he brought to the table here, you miss the guy. He's one of the funniest guys I've ever been around in my entire life. I'm glad for him. He's in the big leagues here with another ball club, and hopefully he doesn't kill us."
In five seasons with the Twins, Redmond batted .297/.339/.359 with two home runs and 106 RBI. He was also one of the most popular and likeable guys in the clubhouse.
"It'd be nice to grab a beer with the guy," Nick Punto said. "But Red's kind of old school."
Michael Cuddyer said on Sunday that he wants to throw Redmond out at first base on a ball hit to right field. Redmond, a right-handed hitter, is known for hitting soft little flares to opposite field.
He is not known for his blazing speed. To say the least.
"Mike better be aware," Gardenhire joked.
If Redmond sees action against the Twins this week, it will most likely be as a pinch hitter.
Then again, don't put it past ol' "Red Dogg" to pull a prank on his old teammates before the series is over.


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About Us
Community-Based Design
Response To A Need
Board of Directors
Advisory Board
Our Community
Autism-Specific Design
Supported Living
Sonoma Site Plan
Environmental Stewardship
The Farm
Contact Us
Education & Resources
An Innovative Housing Solution for Adults with Autism
Our Mission
To provide adults with autism an innovative, supportive residential community that challenges each individual to reach his or her highest potential.
Sweetwater Spectrum
369 Fifth Street West
Sonoma, CA 95476, U.S.A.
Board of Directors
Sweetwater Spectrum is governed by a Board of Directors that includes:
Carolyn Klebanoff, President
Carolyn is a physician practicing in Berkeley. She and her husband Fred Cohen have an 18-year old daughter with autism. Carolyn is a former board member of Behavioral Intervention Associates, JumpStart Learning to Learn and the Little School. Her education background includes a BA from Yale and an MD from UCSF.
Jenifer Hartwell, Secretary
Jenifer is Managing Partner of the Hartwell Group, LLC, an executive search firm. Jenifer has lead searches for a variety of clients including Visa, Lucasfilm Ltd., Bank of America, Wells Fargo Bank and Disney. She received her BS degree from Florida State University. She has been involved in fundraising for Mill Valley public schools for several years and is a board member for nonprofits, including San Francisco MOMA's Contemporary Extension and San Francisco Symphonies Symphonix
Yves de Balmann, Treasurer
Yves is a recently retired executive from a 40-year career in the financial services
industry. Over the years, Yves has been an avid marathon runner and participated in multiple fundraising causes connected to the New York City Marathon, including the Leukemia Society. He is currently a director of Exelon Corporation, and the non-executive Chairman of Conversant IP Management.Yves received an MS in Operations Research from Stanford University (where he was a Fulbright student), and an Engineering degree from the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. He holds a dual citizenship in the United States and France. Yves and his wife Constance have a 37-year-old son with autism, and have recently relocated to Sonoma.
Doug Carlston
Doug is the CEO of Tawala Systems and former Chairman of Broderbund Software. He serves on a number of nonprofit boards, including Ploughshares Fund, MoveOn.org, Tides Advocacy Fund, Nova Science Visiting Council, The Carlston Family Fund and the Albanian American Development Foundation. Doug has a BA and JD from Harvard and attended the John Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies
Bret Sackett
Bret has served as the Police Chief for the City of Sonoma since 2007, and is responsible for all aspects of law enforcement services in Sonoma and Sonoma Valley. He has coached youth sports and served on the Programs Committee at the Boys and Girls Club of Sonoma Valley. In addition to the Sweetwater Spectrum board of directors, Bret also sits on the boards of Montgomery High School Athletic Booster Club and the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance. Bret has been a good friend and supporter from the start, and was instrumental in welcoming Sweetwater Spectrum into the Sonoma community.
Deborah Levy
Debbie is a consultant to nonprofit organizations, having recently retired as President and Chief Executive Officer of Lifehouse, which provides supported living skills development and services to individuals with developmental disabilities. She previously served as the Executive Director of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of Northern California. Her present board positions include the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership MarinSpace, and the advisory board to the Special Education Department at Dominican University. Her education background includes a BA from the University of Michigan and an MSW from the University of California at Berkeley.
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After a lawyer's 'wish' to speak the truth comes true the next 24 hours are full of surprises.
Make sure you hang on for the spice of the closing credit outtakes, which effectively rounds off a reliably entertaining slice of comic nonsense.
Reviewed by Darren Bignell
Read The Full Empire Review »
Click for the full Empire review and post your own review and rating.


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Pop singer Katy Perry has made a big impact on the music scene in the few years she has been around. In celebration of her 30th birthday on Saturday, join us for a look at her career so far.
Nominee Katy Perry poses on the red carpet at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 31, 2010.


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Erika Cavallini Semi Couture
De-constructed jacket
Out of stock
Unfortunately this item is out of stock
Brown wool blend jacket from Semi Couture featuring a single front button fastening, wide notch lapels, long sleeves with button cuffs, a fitted design to the rear, two large patch pockets to the sides, a single breast pocket and a tall rear vent.
Item ID: 10245880
- Height:
- 171
- Bust/Chest (cm):
- 84
- Waist (cm):
- 62
- Hips (cm):
- 92
- Model is wearing size:
- 40
Models Measurements
- Lining Composition
- Viscose 100%
- Composition
- Wool 99%
- Composition
- Elastodiene 1%
- Dry Clean Only
- Brand Style ID
- 463
Your order will be shipped directly from the boutique to you. Farfetch ships worldwide using DHL and UPS, and you will be able to track your order at any time. The cost of shipping your order will be calculated at the checkout.
Import duties information
Delivery duties are included in the item price when shipping to all EU countries plus USA, China, Canada, Switzerland, Singapore, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Qatar, U.A.E, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan.This means all import duties are included in your order, so the price you see is the price you pay. You will not receive an additional duty bill from the courier to receive your shipment. If you are ordering from within your own customs zone or country, import duties will not be applicable anyway, however you may have to pay VAT or local Sales Taxes where applicable (for the UK and USA these are included at the checkout).
Delivery duties are not included in the item price when shipping to all other countries. This means you may be liable to pay import duties on receipt of your order.
Free returns pick-up
You have 14 days from receiving your order to return the item to the boutique using our free returns pick-up service. We strongly recommend that you book your free returns pick-up within 7 days of receiving your order to ensure that it arrives back to the boutique in time. Please note for standard orders we can only collect returns from the same country to which your order was delivered. For click and collect orders we can collect your return from the country your order was delivered to and also the country of the original boutique you ordered from. We are unable to accept returns of earrings for hygiene reasons. We are also unable to accept returns of fine Jewellery. Click here to read our full returns policy.
Semi-Couture is an Italian brand that exclusivly uses tailormade sewing techniques which makes every creation unique in its details. A boho romantic touch and timeless designs that are easy to wear and that will make you feel unique and sensual.


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Hello All - I'm looking to pick up a smaller daypack that I can also use on my 20 mile round-trip bike commute. Ideally something between 18 and 25L that can fit a 13" Macbook Air, lunch and maybe a change of clothes.I've always had great luck with Osprey, so I'm somewhat partial, but open to other brands as well. The Talon 22 and the Escapist 20 both come highly recommended, but I'm open to hearing about anything and everything.Please PM or email me, brian at allenby dot com.Thanks in advance!
The new REI Flash 22 is only $50 and may suit your purposes.
What size and how much do you want to spend? I have a Talon 22 M/L black/gray for sale.... It's in very good condition.
Thanks, Jeremy. I just responded to your email.
Thanks, Dustin. I'll check that out.
Thanks to everyone for the information and messages.After much research, I ended up finding a Osprey Escapist 20 on sale for $70 and decided to take the plunge.
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New York native Pamela Love infuses her latest jewelry collection with chic Southwestern appeal, and this 'Empire Wing' ring is an easy way to work the look. Expertly crafted from gold-tone bronze and turquoise, this angular design makes a stylish accompaniment to day and night outfits.
Gold-tone bronzeWing motif, turquoise stones, designer stamp at back
Product code: 321119 - Need help? Contact us


text: Schwass, et al. v. Township of Riverton. (Michigan Court of Appeals) By: Ed Wesoloski October 4, 2010 Open the PDF in a new window Lawyers Weekly No. 07-74162 Michigan Lawyers Weekly Taxation – Property Tax Cap – Tenancy In Partnership 7:06 am Mon, October 4, 2010 Full-text Court Opinions Ed Wesoloski


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From OpenWetWare
Revision as of 04:16, 13 May 2011 by Helena Reyes (Talk | contribs)
Hey, iGEM2011 teams!
We are the iGEM 2011 UNAM-Genomics_Mexico team . For the time being this is our project's home. We are working hard on it and we are quite enthusiastic about meeting you all at the iGEM Jamboree!


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Facebook Bought WhatsApp for $19 billion. Mark Zuckerberg as the Facebook founder just released a statement explaining why Facebook bought Whatsapp for $19bn. Here is the release in full.
Acquisition accelerates Facebook's ability to bring connectivity and utility to the world
Leading mobile messaging company will continue to operate independently and retain its brand
WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum to join Facebook Board of Directors
MENLO PARK, CALIF. – February 19, 2014 – Facebook today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire WhatsApp, a rapidly growing cross-platform mobile messaging company, for a total of approximately $16 billion, including $4 billion in cash and approximately $12 billion worth of Facebook shares. The agreement also provides for an additional $3 billion in restricted stock units to be granted to WhatsApp's founders and employees that will vest over four years subsequent to closing.
WhatsApp has built a leading and rapidly growing real-time mobile messaging service, with:
– Over 450 million people using the service each month;
– 70% of those people active on a given day;
– Messaging volume approaching the entire global telecom SMS volume; and
– Continued strong growth, currently adding more than 1 million new registered users per day.
The acquisition supports Facebook and WhatsApp's shared mission to bring more connectivity and utility to the world by delivering core internet services efficiently and affordably. The combination will help accelerate growth and user engagement across both companies.
"WhatsApp is on a path to connect 1 billion people. The services that reach that milestone are all incredibly valuable," said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO. "I've known Jan for a long time and I'm excited to partner with him and his team to make the world more open and connected."
Jan Koum, WhatsApp co-founder and CEO, said, "WhatsApp's extremely high user engagement and rapid growth are driven by the simple, powerful and instantaneous messaging capabilities we provide. We're excited and honored to partner with Mark and Facebook as we continue to bring our product to more people around the world."
Facebook fosters an environment where independent-minded entrepreneurs can build companies, set their own direction and focus on growth while also benefiting from Facebook's expertise, resources and scale. This approach is working well with Instagram, and WhatsApp will operate in this manner. WhatsApp's brand will be maintained; its headquarters will remain in Mountain View, CA; Jan Koum will join Facebook's Board of Directors; and WhatsApp's core messaging product and Facebook's existing Messenger app will continue to operate as standalone applications.
Upon closing of the deal, all outstanding shares of WhatsApp capital stock and options to purchase WhatsApp capital stock will be cancelled in exchange for $4 billion in cash and 183,865,778 shares of Facebook Class A common stock (worth $12 billion based on the average closing price of the six trading days preceding February 18, 2014 of $65.2650 per share). In addition, upon closing, Facebook will grant 45,966,444 restricted stock units to WhatsApp employees (worth $3 billion based on the average closing price of the six trading days preceding February 18, 2014 of $65.2650 per share). As of February 17, 2014, Facebook had 2,551,654,996 Class A and B shares outstanding plus approximately 139 million dilutive securities primarily consisting of unvested RSUs. The Class A common stock and RSUs issued to WhatsApp shareholders and employees upon closing will represent 7.9% of Facebook shares based on current shares and RSUs outstanding.
In the event of termination of the Merger Agreement under certain circumstances principally related to a failure to obtain required regulatory approvals, the Merger Agreement provides for Facebook to pay WhatsApp a fee of $1 billion in cash and to issue to WhatsApp a number of shares of Facebook's Class A common stock equal to $1 billion based on the average closing price of the ten trading days preceding such termination date.
Facebook was advised by Allen & Company LLC and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP; and WhatsApp was advised by Morgan Stanley and Fenwick & West, LLP.
I'm excited to announce that we've agreed to acquire WhatsApp and that their entire team will be joining us at Facebook.
Our mission is to make the world more open and connected. We do this by building services that help people share any type of content with any group of people they want. WhatsApp will help us do this by continuing to develop a service that people around the world love to use every day.
WhatsApp is a simple, fast and reliable mobile messaging service that is used by over 450m people on every major mobile platform. More than 1m people sign up for WhatsApp every day and it is on its way to connecting 1bn people. More and more people rely on WhatsApp to communicate with all of their contacts every day.
WhatsApp will continue to operate independently within Facebook. The product roadmap will remain unchanged and the team is going to stay in Mountain View. Over the next few years, we're going to work hard to help WhatsApp grow and connect the whole world. We also expect that WhatsApp will add to our efforts forInternet.org, our partnership to make basic internet services affordable for everyone.
WhatsApp will complement our existing chat and messaging services to provide new tools for our community. Facebook Messenger is widely used for chatting with your Facebook friends, and WhatsApp for communicating with all of your contacts and small groups of people. Since WhatsApp and Messenger serve such different and important uses, we will continue investing in both and making them each great products for everyone.
WhatsApp had every option in the world, so I'm thrilled that they chose to work with us. I'm looking forward to what Facebook and WhatsApp can do together, and to developing great new mobile services that give people even more options for connecting.
I've also known Jan [Koum, WhatsApp founder and chief executive] for a long time, and I know that we both share the vision of making the world more open and connected. I'm particularly happy that Jan has agreed to join the Facebook board and partner with me to shape Facebook's future as well as WhatsApp's.
Jan and the WhatsApp team have done some amazing work to connect almost half a billion people. I can't wait for them to join Facebook and help us connect the rest of the world.


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Monday, November 28, 2011
© Copyright 2015 Albany Herald
ALBANY Albany's mayoral candidates are picking up the pace when it comes to gathering endorsements, heading into the final week before the Dec. 6 runoff.
Monday, mayoral candidate Dorothy Hubbard picked the endorsement of two of Albany's state legislators, as State Sen. Freddie Powell-Sims and Rep. Carol Fullerton both gave their support to Hubbard's efforts to become the city's next mayor.
Meanwhile, local business woman B.J. Fletcher was set to get a nod from the Albany Arts Coalition at a news conference tonight.
Sims, D-Dawson, said that Hubbard was a consensus builder who has shown an ability to work effectively with others at the local, state and federal level.
"Dorothy Hubbard is a consensus builder and she understands that it takes all of us working together to make this a great, great city," Sims said. "Early voting begins today and we need to select a mayor who will continue to move Albany, Ga., forward and in a positive direction. All cities have challenges, but we must select someone who has spent time in the educational arena, in government, in public service and someone that will galvanize this community."
Fullerton said she has personally born witness to Hubbard's efforts on the city commission as a resident of Ward II.
"She understands city, county and state government and knows well current city and county officials," Fullerton said. "She has a good relationship with all of them...and she understands the people of Albany."
Hubbard thanked the two for their support and urged people to get out and take advantage of the early voting period which started today downtown at the government center.
"I'm grateful to these two ladies. They know me, they know the kind of work I've done and they know that I can get the job done," Hubbard said. "It's a wonderful occasion that I could have two state legislators come out and support my candidacy."
Sims and Fullerton are the latest in a series of endorsements Hubbard has picked up from area elected officials.
Last week, Ward I Commissioner Jon Howard and Ward IV Commissioner Roger Marietta gave their support to Hubbard and, prior to the general election, current mayor Willie Adams gave his blessing to Hubbard as well.
Fletcher's endorsement from the Arts Coalition will come tonight at 6 p.m. at Carnegie Library, according to a press release from her campaign.
Sally_O 3 years, 10 months ago
They are endorsing Albany to remain the way it is. No improvements, to stay in top 5 poorest cities in the country.
chinaberry25 3 years, 10 months ago
Two state legislators from the Albany area. Do they dare endorse someone else. Pleasssssssssseee. Now I am waiting for the Lee County ones who may actually use a little common sense in their picks. But the headlines leave you to believe it is all legislators which is certainly not the case. We want to have the same old black mentality, Do the same old same old. Never reaching for the stars. Cannot get over the hump and view the future as something good for any races. Status quo. But you ought to go to north Georgia and listing to the hooting going on about Albany. I never tell anyone where I am from anymore.
Cartman 3 years, 10 months ago
Why do people think these political endorsements benefit a candidate? It only benefits if the endorser is someone you trust. If you don't trust the judgment of the endorser, then the endorsement appears as politicians helping each other out, out of self-interest.
waltspecht 3 years, 10 months ago
Apparently the best change is no change. It's sad to say that if BJ gets in by some fluke, she will be powerless to do anything with a group of Commisioners in dymetric opposition to any improvements which do not fit in their or their friends agendas. In other words not directing monies to the desired depositories. As for the endorsement of the State Legislators, from past experience, I find it hard to believe that wasn't along racial lines.
KaosinAlbany 3 years, 10 months ago
Of course this is no big surprise. Sims & Fullerton are both democraps. Fullerton also needs to stay out of the elections office talking smack about BJ.
Terihdfxr 3 years, 10 months ago
They all look really happy to be there. Get out and support BJ for Mayor, not these clowns,
PumpkinEater 3 years, 10 months ago
Sadly, without RADICAL change and a SPOT-ON vision, nothing will reverse Albany's downward economic trends. And the city will continue the slide compared to other more strategic and competitive markets. At best, it will be a smooth-running decline and crash landing, with a real, but virtually imperceptible daily loss of Dougherty County tax base, and per-capita income and purchasing power.
It's no one's direct fault, it is a market condition, but only bold and effective vision and implementation will change the course. Managing the smooth running of the status quo and executing the direction established mayor and the rest of the commission is the role of the City Manager and staff. SETTING the direction to achieve new economic heights comes from the mayor and the commissioners.
A mayor and city commissioners who do not step up and lead the city in a monumentally successful economic direction avoid the obvious trends and issues. Such a mentality is nothing short of negligent and irresponsible. There might be just one chance in ten to be able to change the course. We have to take that chance as well as work the traditional avenues.
Albany itself may be past the economic tipping point based on typical plans and solutions, but the bold masterstroke is always available, however remote the possibility of success.
Who will make the bold moves? Who will inspire? Who will compel this commission to get on board? Quickly?
KaosinAlbany 3 years, 10 months ago
BJ is that person, Pumpkineater, NOT Dorothy Hubbard.
ObjectiveEyes 3 years, 10 months ago
"...continue to move Albany GA forward and in a positive direction..." You can do that by voting for BJ. If you like the status quo, vote for Hubbard.
PumpkinEater 3 years, 10 months ago
I find it most interesting that the person I repeatedly heard speak the most vile racial epitaphs and slurs suddenly seems to be a visible Hubbard supporter. I am not saying she knows, but I would bet he picked that horse to win and expects some economic favors from the commission after the election. The switch is very obvious.
richie 3 years, 10 months ago
Vote the Tea Party candidate - BJ 4 Mayor - yeah thats the ticket!
KaosinAlbany 3 years, 10 months ago
Hi again, Roger Marietta. It's your old friend Kaos. You and Fullerton are spreading these lies about BJ starting the Tea Party. That is totally not true and you know it. You are nothing but a liar and a pot stirrer. You are radical yourself, because you pretend to be a conservative when in fact you are very liberal. You ran off Kevin, but you won't get rid of me very easily. I want to see you packing your bags back to Fayetteville.
Justice4Moma 3 years, 10 months ago
I know thats right.With what i have going on against Albany,Kevin asked me had i ever thought of moving out of town.I told him No way,I Wil Not Let them run me out of town.I was in the right,they were in the wrong.And i am not going any where.Im in it till the finish,no matter how it comes out.I am not scared of the GOB System.But i am scared of the Justice System we have here.If they will do right for Justice and not play with peoples lives.
Justice4Moma 3 years, 10 months ago
We do not need the same ole horse and pony show here.We need new faces,and new voices.Vote BJ.And just maybe it will break up the Good ole Boy system.I have nothing against hubbard,but she has been in office long enough.It is time to give someone else a chance to show what they can do.And if BJ cant do it,it will not be because she does not try.It will be because the GOB system would like things to stay the way they are,that way all the secrets will not come out.And i know there are plenty hiding in some places people would never think to look.Or just dont really care to. Maybe BJ will make a diffrence,i think so,but she will need all the others to back her up,not stab her in the back...I bet you one thing,she will show up for the meetings,and probley drive herself to them.So City and County,if you are not scared of change in a good way,Give BJ a chance.Show you have some faith in fixing Albany.Not keeping it in the same ole rutt.
bubbavet 3 years, 10 months ago
supersquawker 3 years, 10 months ago
Dorothy Hubbard does not have the backbone and force of personality to stand up to the many "entities" that really control Albany and who make a living on the backs of poor people in the community. BJ will sweep it clean. Vote for BJ!!
KaosinAlbany 3 years, 10 months ago
Well said, supersquawker! You are indeed very correct. Hubbard will only turn a blind eye to some of the commissioners' wrong doings and profiting off the poor in Albany. It is very apparent what they are doing and want all these wrong doing to stay in the dark and to keep the citizens in the dark. Vote BJ Fletcher 4 Mayor!!
Justice4Moma 3 years, 10 months ago
I am Thankfull that we are going to have a women Mayor.I just hope and Pray it will be BJ.She will make a change.And that is what they are all scared of.......If you would like to have TRUTH AND JUSTICE 4 ALL,VOTE BJ.
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More like this story
- Hubbard gains endorsements ( December 1, 2011 )
- Former lieutenant governor, county commissioner endorse Hubbard ( November 30, 2011 )
- Marietta, Howard support Hubbard for Albany mayor ( November 22, 2011 )
- Hubbard picks up key endorsements ( October 19, 2011 )
- Dispute rises over local legislation ( March 25, 2013 )


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If you've been craving a Dr Pepper you have probably stopped yourself short of having it because you know it's probably not good for the baby. And you'd be right, so it's good that you're checking on it.
There are several areas of concern when it comes to Dr Pepper, but mostly it's due to the amount of caffeine in it. It has more caffeine per can than cola, not as much as Mountain Dew, and about half as much as the most popular energy drink. It's still far less than a cup of coffee, but during this time you should be taking a no caffeine stance, for the good of your baby.
There are only two types of foods and drinks when you're pregnant: those that help your baby and your pregnancy, and those that don't. Keep putting good things into your body during this time, and you'll have a much smoother process all around.
Can I Drink Dr Pepper While Pregnant? Answer: Not Recommended
You should really be drinking water only while you're pregnant, as any other beverage contains things that you shouldn't be consuming. Your doctor may authorize other drinks on a case by case basis, but in general you should try to simply drink water, and be as healthy as you possibly can with your eating while you're pregnant. Dr Pepper may be one of your favorites, but it's something that you should forego until you're done breastfeeding. It's tough, but you've got to put your baby's needs first, and they definitely don't need what's in Dr Pepper.
Caffeine Concerns
Even though it was first marketed as a new cola with 23 different flavors in it, Dr Pepper now contains more caffeine than a Pepsi or a Coke. Caffeine is a stimulant, it will raise your heart rate, and therefore have an effect on your baby as well. You should avoid drinking caffeinated drinks, unless your doctor has told you that certain herbal teas are OK. If you are having a high risk pregnancy, you've surely been told to avoid anything that could change the physiology of your body.
How About Diet Dr Pepper?
It seems like Diet Dr Pepper gets promoted more on the radio and TV than ordinary Dr Pepper, so you might be considering having this instead of the normal brand to cut down on your caloric intake and not gain so much weight during pregnancy. But diet sodas are actually even worse for you, especially when you're pregnant. They contain artificial sweeteners that are basically man made chemicals that are not good for your body, and not good for baby. It also contains the same amount of caffeine, so you're not avoiding that by drinking the diet version.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) has gotten a lot of negative press because it is found in so many mass produced food and drink items. The problem is that your body does not recognize it the same way it recognizes pure cane sugar. There's no off switch for HFCS which is why you can drink so much soda pop and still want more. if it used real sugar you would feel satisfied with a smaller amount, and you'd reach a point where you just don't want any more of it.
Blood Sugar Levels While Pregnant
You want to keep your blood sugar levels pretty constant while you're pregnant, and drinking a soft drink like this that contains so much sugar immediately puts your levels in an abnormal state. That's why you get a high from drinking a drink like this, and eventually get a sugar crash later. You don't want highs and lows while you're pregnant because this creates an unstable situation for your developing baby, and could lead to eating disorders later in their life.
Ask Your Doctor
If you're bent on having a soft drink, ask your doctor which ones would be the least harmful for you and your specific situation. Nine months is a long time to go without having your favorite soft drink, so perhaps they can give you the green light and a little bit will be OK, just to satisfy your craving.


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A merger or business acquisition can be complex and require the knowledge of an experienced attorney. Kaufman & Forman, P.C. in Atlanta, Georgia is dedicated to helping businesses effectively deal with the merger and acquisition matters they may be facing. We are experienced business attorneys that confidently handle many business transactions for small to large businesses.
Our attorneys consider themselves problem solvers and strive to find the best solution to suit your business' needs.
We handle the due diligence for either seller or purchaser in mergers and acquisitions. Our lawyers will conduct negotiations for the sale or purchase agreements and draft the documents for a business merger or management buyout. We advise on corporate restructuring so that the new organization will function smoothly. As business organization attorneys, we can help you restructure to ensure that all aspects of the business are addressed and incorporated.
We provide comprehensive legal services to companies seeking to acquire or merge with another business. Whether your business is based in the Georgia or across the U.S., we can help.
- We also handle business litigation and negotiation as it pertains to mergers and acquisitions.
To obtain top-tier legal representation, please contact an attorney at Kaufman & Forman, P.C., for a consultation.


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November 19, 2007
In the third quarter of 2007, there were 931 mass layoff events that resulted in the separation of 136,234 workers from their jobs for at least 31 days.
While the total number of layoff events was essentially unchanged from the third quarter of 2006, the number of separations was lower than in the July-September 2006 time period.
Layoff activity in credit intermediation and related activities quadrupled over the year, mostly due to higher layoff activity in the real estate credit industry.
These data are a product of the Mass Layoff Statistics program. "Extended mass layoffs" last more than 30 days and involve 50 or more individuals from a single establishment filing initial claims for unemployment insurance during a consecutive 5-week period. Data for the third quarter of 2007 are preliminary and subject to revision. Additional information is available in "Extended Mass Layoffs in the Third Quarter of 2007" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 07-1791.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Extended mass layoffs in the third quarter of 2007 on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2007/nov/wk3/art01.htm (visited October 09, 2015).
New estimates of personal taxes in Consumer Expenditure Survey
In 2013, the Consumer Expenditure Survey improved its personal tax data.
Trends in long-term unemployment
Long-term unemployment reached historically high levels following the recession of 2007–2009.
Housing: before, during, and after the Great Recession
looks at consumer expenditures on household items, employment in residential construction, prices for household items, and injuries in occupations involved in building and maintaining our homes.


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Subscribe to newsletters
TNA Reporter
Ekurhuleni is planning to roll out a public transport system linking residents to the OR Tambo airport through its Integrated Rapid Public Transport Plan (IRPTP).
The municipality said this was part of a plan to encourage people to use public transport and also reduce the costs of travelling in the metro.
Residents in the municipality can already make use of Guatrain in Kempton Park and Rhodesfield to travel to the airport.
MMC for roads and transport Thumbu Mahlangu said that the IRPTP was part of the municipality's pursuit for a better, safer, more reliable and convenient public transport system.
"Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality has undertaken studies and surveys to determine the travel trends, public transport demands and to identify viable routes," he said.
Mahlangu said the routes responded to the need for integration of road-based services with other modes of transport and were the results of a modal integration study that was commissioned.
He said that the entire public transport system was analysed and included the proposed Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) routes.
"From the above routes, route two was chosen for implementation because of its potential for intermodal connectivity with Prasa and Gautrain, together with linking major nodes such as Kempton Park, Rhodesfield and OR Tambo airport," he said.
Mahlangu said Kempton Park was identified as a major development node for the metro, with Tembisa earmarked for urban renewal.
He said that the Tembisa to Kempton Park corridor had the second-highest demand for public transport services.
"It will serve the previously disadvantaged areas (PDAs) of Vosloorus, currently not serviced by a formal public transport system, and Tembisa, currently underserved by rail.
"This route will connect the two PDAs with the economic centres of Kempton Park, Boksburg and Benoni corridor, which will serve as the core economic area, the economic hub of Ekurhuleni," he said.
Mahlangu said the area was to become the nucleus of the metropolitan, promoting the new image of the city. – 701189


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With my best friend in Zimbabwe
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Play our fun game and find out if the one you like likes you back. Confide in us if you think you'd hit it off by clicking: Yes, No, or Maybe. We'll anonymously find out and let you know if the feeling is mutual. You have nothing to lose!
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You both said YES! The feeling is mutual. Now the rest is up to you! Say Hi and get the conversation started.
I would say that I am a pretty mellow, down to Earth person in general. Family is and always will be one of the most important things in my life. My family and I are very close and would always be there for each other. I don't have a huge number of friends, but the ones I do have I am very loyal to.
I work for myself and get to set my own hours, AND I LOVE IT! It allows me to have a very flexible schedule where I can choose when to work, when to sleep, when to go out and have fun, etc. It's really a nice change from working a 9-5 job, which is what I did for years prior to this. The only downside is that meeting new people has become a bit difficult, so that's why I figured I'd give this a shot.
I love to travel and have been to many places around the world. The most recent trip I did was 3 months traveling through 10 different countries in Africa, and then about a month in Jordan and Israel.
Many of the photos I uploaded are from my recent trip.
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It does not irritate the skin. It is available in convenient size. I have a sensitive skin. It works for me.there are no issues of burning, redness of skin. It removes all the hair without burning.
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text: Roll out Ribbons Campaign, By E. Brennan Monmouth Medical Center [ Tie a Ribbon in the Battle Against Cancer in Long Branch By Rosetta Key June 28, 2013 Folks who visit the beach in Long Branch will get a visual reminder of the ongoing fight against cancer. Monmouth Medical Center has just launched its 'Roll Out The Ribbons Campaign' along the boardwalk. Read More|Comment Category: News, Ocean County News Tags: Cancer awareness, Leon Hess Cancer Center, Monmouth Medical Center, Portia Lagmay-Fuentes, Roll Out The Ribbons Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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I just wanted to tell you that I am another Stage IIIC survivor. It's been 20 months since my last treatment. I had a mastectomy, chemo and radiation. Nobody ever gave me so much as a hint that I might not survive. I figured it out myself by doing research online. But I'm one of those people who thinks that the cup is always half full, so if I learn that I have a 50% chance of dying in five years, I figure that means that I also have the same chance of being around and healthy in five years. So I plan to be healthy.
I just turned all my problems over to God right from the beginning. They were too big for me to deal with on my own. Believe me, that worked!
Would love to hear from other Stage IIIc survivors out there.View Thread
I lost 20 lbs during my cancer treatment because I never felt like eating. I've gained back 5 lbs. I'm pretty happy with my current weight and I'm trying to maintain it.
My biggest issue is fatigue. My doctor prescribed Ritalin for that, and it does seem to be helping.
Good luck!View Thread
When you go see the second doctor, will you post again? I am in the decision-making process about reconstructive surgery also, and there are some things that I don't feel comfortable with, so it would be nice to have another person's opinion/views. Some of the surgical options just seem kind of frighteningly complicated. My husband is suggesting that I not put myself through it at all, but I would like to look normal again. I had a bilateral mastectomy six months ago.
LizView Thread
I do sympathise with you for feeling that lack of enerygy. For me that's been the hardest thing. I'm near the end of my chemo treatments, and I was discussing something with my doctor which might relate to your case, too, so I'll bring it up. She told me that for five years after treatments, I'd have to be on a medication that surpresses estrogen in order to keep tumors from growing back. It turns out that the medicine I need has a couple of side effects, including fatigue and body pain. I think that the nickname for the medicine is A/I, but I don't have the name of it. It is for postmenopausal women, which I am. I had a total hysterectomy in 2004. Could this be causing your problem?
I think you're amazing for doing the Lance Armstrong ride! Twenty miles is a long way for a new cancer survivor. I applaud you and will be cheering for you on that day!
LizView Thread
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julie round bag navy red spot
by CLARE V.
Men's Size Chart
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Small canvas circular bag with red and navy abstract dots and rock climbing inspired shoulder strap. Single compartment is fully lined.
• measures: 7" diameter, 1.5" deep
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• made in USA


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|National Cancer Institute
Friday, April 10, 1998
NCI Press Office
16. How was the monograph put together?
Cigars: Health Effects and Trends was developed under the editorial supervision of Donald R. Shopland, coordinator of the Smoking and Tobacco Control Program at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Md. The NCI supports more than $80 million in smoking-related research annually, and since 1991, the Institute has published an on-going monograph series on smoking and tobacco-use control. The current report on cigars is the ninth monograph in the series.
More than 50 scientists and other experts were involved in the compilation of the monograph, including 30 who participated as peer reviewers. Topics covered include trends in cigar use, the health consequences of smoking cigars, indoor air pollution resulting from cigar smoke, the toxic and carcinogenic compounds found in cigar smoke, the addictive potential of cigars, marketing and promotion of cigars, and policies regulating taxation, labeling and sale of cigars.
David M. Burns, M.D., professor of Medicine at the University of California in San Diego, Calif., was the senior scientific editor for the monograph. Consulting scientific editors were Dietrich Hoffmann, Ph.D., associate director, American Health Foundation, Valhalla, N.Y., and K. Michael Cummings, Ph.D., M.P.H., senior research scientist, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, N.Y.
17. Who are the authors of the monograph?
Trends in Cigar Consumption:
Karen K. Gerlach, Ph.D., M.P.H, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, Ga. (now with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton, N.J.)
K. Michael Cummings, Ph.D., M.P.H., Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo, N.Y.
Andrew Hyland, M.S., Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo, N.Y.
Elizabeth A. Gilpin, M.S., University of California, San Diego, Calif.
Michael D. Johnson, Ph.D., California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, Calif.
John Pierce, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego, Calif.
Chemistry and Toxicology of Cigars:
Dietrich Hoffmann, Ph.D., American Health Foundation, Valhalla, N.Y.
Ilse Hoffmann, B.S., American Health Foundation, Valhalla, N.Y.
Disease Consequences of Cigar Smoking:
Thomas G. Shanks, M.P.H., M.S., University of California, San Diego, Calif.
David M. Burns, M.D., University of California School of Medicine, San Diego, Calif.
Indoor Air Pollution from Cigar Smoke:
James L. Repace, M.S., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Wayne Ott, Ph.D., Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.
Neil Klepeis, M.S., Lockheed Martin Environmental, Las Vegas, Nev.
Pharmacology of Abuse Potential of Cigars:
Reginald V. Fant, Ph.D., Pinney Associates, Bethesda, Md.
Jack E. Henningfield, Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Pinney Associates, Bethesda, Md.
Marketing and Promotion of Cigars:
John Slade, M.D., Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, N.J.
Policies Regulating Cigars:
Gregory N. Connolly, D.M.D., M.P.H., Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, Mass.
18. What are the sources of the data for the report?
The report contains new data in nearly every chapter. In some instances, new studies were commissioned, while in others new, more detailed data analyses of previous studies were conducted.
For example, in Chapter 2, which reviews trends in cigar smoking, two new data sets which examine cigar smoking behavior among both adults and children were made available to the NCI by the California State Department of Health. New analyses were conducted on data from national surveys (National Health Interview Surveys and the Current Population Surveys).
For Chapter 3, the NCI provided a small amount of funding to the American Health Foundation to analyze the chemical composition of leading brands of small (cigarette- sized) cigars, machine-made mass-produced cigars, and hand-rolled premium cigars and to compare them to the best selling brands of filter and non-filter cigarettes.
In the chapter on disease consequences, Chapter 4, new analyses of the data from the Cancer Prevention Study (CPS-I) were undertaken to distinguish the health risks of cigar-only smokers from the health risks of cigarette-only smokers (450,000 white males in total). (CPS-I, conducted between 1959 and 1972 by the American Cancer Society, followed more than one million people for 12 years.) Risk information on male cigar smokers is presented for each major disease in this chapter.
For Chapter 5, the authors performed three separate experiments to assess the contribution of cigar smoke to indoor air pollution. One study, using a stationary monitor, measured environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in the home comparing one Marlboro cigarette with one, large premium cigar (Paul Garmirian Churchill). In two other experiments, using a personal monitor, one of the authors measured ambient carbon monoxide levels at two separate cigar events, a cigar party and a cigar dinner both held in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Chapters 6, 7, and 8 each contain considerable quantities of new information. For example, in Chapter 7, information is presented on market share of various brands of cigars as well as market share by company. Data are also presented showing the feature stories or news coverage of cigars in 20 daily newspapers from 1990 through 1996. Chapter 8 contains information on state tax rates for cigars as well as which states have laws that specifically address youth access to cigars.
19. Are copies of the monograph currently available?
Copies of the monograph are available by calling 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). By May 1, the text will be available on NCI's website: http://rex.nci.nih.gov; click on "Public," then "Prevention."


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Sorry I haven't been posting for a few days now - I've been on bloggers' sick leave. I fell in on Saturday night with a virus and I had to take Monday and Tuesday off work this week because of it. I'm still recovering at the moment (my asthma is particularly causing me bother) but I seem to be over the worst of it.
The normal service of a steady trickle of posts resumes this evening.
Thursday, 15 January 2009
1 comment:
- Tony said...
Sorry to hear about your illness. I do hope it wasn't the dreaded Winter Sickness bug, which is really nasty. Hope you're now fully recovered. Your blog is, as ever, riveting reading.
- 19 January 2009 at 23:55
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Two days into the NHL playoffs and the impact of Wisconsin men's hockey alumni is being felt. Big time.
To start, 11 former Badgers are skating in the playoffs, the most of any college team in the nation.
There have been eight games played and 27 goals scored thus far. Badgers account for 14.8 percent of the goals, 20 percent of the first goals and 20 percent of the game-winning goals, including 50 percent of the overtime game-winning goals. Granted there isn't a large sample of yet, but former Badger names can be heard in five of the eight series and on eight of the 16 teams involved in the playoffs.
Kyle Turris scored the first goal of the playoffs for any team when he gave Phoenix a 1-0 lead at Detroit on Wednesday night. The goal came just 2:16 into his first Stanley Cup playoff game. It made for a memorable playoff debut for the 2006-07 Badger.
Not to be outdone in that same game, veteran Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski (UW - 1991-95) scored what proved to be the game-winning goal later in the contest in Detroit's 4-2 victory. Among Badgers in this year's playoffs, Rafalski boasts the only three Stanley Cup rings, winning two with the New Jersey Devils (2000 and 2003) and one with the Red Wings (2008).
A pair of Badgers on the Nashville Predators contributed to the Predators' 4-1 victory over Brad Winchester's (UW - 1999-2003) Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, with defenseman Ryan Suter (UW - 2003-04) assisting on the first goal of the game, while rookie Blake Geoffrion (UW - 2006-10) notched his first-career playoff point with an assist in his first-career playoff game.
Turris scored fast for Phoenix in the Coyotos' series, but Dany Heatley (UW - 1999-2001) scored faster for San Jose, tallying just 28 seconds into the Sharks' series against Davis Drewiske's (UW - 2004-08) Los Angeles Kings.
But it was Heatley's Sharks teammate Joe Pavelski (UW - 2002-06) who made the biggest headline of the first two days, scoring his third playoff overtime game-winning goal and his seventh playoff game-winning goal overall to give San Jose a 3-2 victory in game one. The "playoff legend," as he is dubbed at the end of the overtime game-winning goal video, "Pavelski knows the hero role."
Just ask San Jose's coach. "We'd like not to have it in overtime," Coach Todd McLellan said, "but Pavs has been a tremendous player for us. We count on him in so many different situations. He's really recognized at this time of the year as a guy who elevates his play."
Teams with Badgers are currently 3-5 in the playoffs, with three series matching Badgers in head-to-head action.
In addition to those already mentioned, rookies Derek Stepan (UW - 2008-10) and Ryan McDonagh (UW - 2007-10) opened with a 2-1 overtime loss for the New York Rangers at Washington, while Jake Dowell's (2003-07) Chicago Blackhawks fell, 2-0, to Vancouver in the Eau Claire, Wis., native's playoff debut.
Defenseman Brendan Smith (2007-10), though he has yet to play in an NHL game, is soaking in the atmosphere with the Detroit Red Wings. He was called up from the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins prior to the start of the playoffs to serve as one of Detroit's "Black Aces."


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Thursday, September 22, 2011
© Copyright 2015 Clayton News Daily
Volunteers with the Henry County Humane Society are attempting to get several puppies into responsible hands. Members of the non-profit group are spreading the word, so several, small puppies, in need of homes and loving care, can find them.
The organization's pets are given age-appropriate vaccinations, are spayed/neutered, dewormed and have had capstar or frontline applied. Dogs are heartworm-negative and microchipped, while cats are feline-leukemia (Felv) and feline-AIDS (FIV) negative.
McDonough resident, Elizabeth Shannon, is a volunteer with the Henry County Humane Society. She expressed the importance of vaccinating, microchipping and spaying/neutering one's pets.
Henry County Humane Society
46 Work Camp Road, McDonough, GA
"The irresponsibility of pet ownership contributes to the explosion of stray pets," said Shannon, who has adopted two pets from the Humane Society.
Humane Society volunteers said the eight puppies available to be adopted are small-breed canines, who will grow to weigh about 8 to 12 pounds. The pups are currently about two months old.
Four of them are likely Shih Tzu and Westie, mixed with terrier or chihuahua. The others look to be chihuahua, terrier mix, with black short hair. Some have white feet and white spots.
To learn more, visit www.henryhumane.com, call (770) 914-1272, or e-mail email@example.com. Donations may be mailed to the Henry County Humane Society at P.O. Box 941, McDonough Ga. 30253.
— Johnny Jackson
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