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Kitchen Cabinet Installation
So you have made it through the intensive
process of configuring your layout, choosing the design, style, color, and type
of material for your
kitchen cabinets. You have either hired a special contractor,
or chosen to purchase pre-built products from a cabinet manufacturer. Whatever
the case, now is the exciting point when you see your kitchen begin to take
shape with the actual installation of the cabinets.
- Base Cabinets. Installing the lower cabinets, or the ones that sit on the floor, is much easier than installing the upper cabinets. Using a level, attach a board as a guide to where you intend the cabinets to reach. Install each cabinet according to this reference point, using shims as needed. After all of the base cabinets are installed by screwing them to the floor, screw them to each other through the sides. Finally, place the wood sheeting over the top of the cabinets and screw into place in preparation for the countertopping.
- Upper Cabinets. The installation of upper cabinets is a bit more difficult and it helps to have an extra hand. Again, first install a guide-board that is level. Follow that guide and attach each cabinet to both the ceiling and the wall behind, being sure to first locate the studs.
After the cabinets are firmly attached, accessorize
with moldings and trims. The doors, drawers, and hardware are then installed to
complete the installation. Installing the doors should also be completed meticulously.
If the hinges are not properly aligned, the doors will not open and close
properly. If you would like the assistance of a skilled cabinet installer in
your area, then request free estimates today.
So you've made it through the intensive process of configuring your layout, and choosing the design, style, color, and type of material for your kitchen cabinets. You have either hired a contractor, or chosen to purchase pre-built products from a cabinet manufacturer. Now is the point where installation begins. Here's some more information about this exciting step.
The cost of kitchen cabinet installation depends primarily on one factor: the cost of labor in your area. Although many will use the same rule of thumb, like charging 25% of the cost of the cabinets for installation, you should compare price quotes from licensed installers to get the best deal.
Durability of your kitchen cabinets depends on which type you've purchased or are looking to purchase. Check out cabinet styles, cabinet materials or cabinet manufacturers for more information.
Common Questions and Answers
Is it better to hire a professional or DIY?
Kitchen cabinets are a huge investment, so ensuring that they are installed correctly is of paramount importance. With that being said, it's always better to hire a skilled professional than attempting the job yourself, unless you are very experienced
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Oct. 21, 2012
TUCSON, Ariz. - Madi Kingdon (Phoenix, Ariz.) recorded a match-high 13 kills to lead Arizona (12-9, 4-6 Pac-12) to a 3-1 (25-17, 25-21, 20-25, 25-17) victory over Oregon State (13-9, 3-7 Pac-12) on Sunday inside the McKale Center.
Despite only hitting .220 on the afternoon, Arizona was good at the net as the Cats out-blocked Oregon State 11.5 to 3.0 in front of a season-high crowd of 3,907 inside the McKale Center. Meanwhile, the Beavers hit just .099 for the match.
Halli Amaro (Los Alamitos, Calif.) had nine kills and just one error, while also adding four blocks. Rachel Rhoades (San Diego, Calif.) had five kills to go with a match-high six blocks. Lauren Fuller (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Chanel Brown (Tempe, Ariz.) combined to dish out 32 assists. Fuller also added nine digs and two service aces. Meanwhile, Candace Nicholson (Long Beach, Calif.) recorded a match-high 18 digs.
The Wildcats opened the first set on a 6-2 run and Oregon State was never able to put a significant run together to pull even. Arizona led from start to finish to take the set, 25-17. The Cats hit .216 in the frame while holding Oregon State to a .000 attack efficiency.
After Oregon State jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second set, Arizona rallied with a 6-0 run to take the 8-5 advantage. The Wildcats held the lead throughout the remainder and went on to win it, 25-21. The Arizona defense was strong for the second consecutive set as Oregon State hit just .108.
Oregon State came out strong from the intermission as the Beavers led from start to finish in the third set. OSU went on to cruise to a 25-20 victory to send the match to a fourth set. The Beavers hit .233 in the set, while Arizona hit just .036 in the frame.
After dropping the third set, Arizona came out inspired in the fourth set as the Cats jumped out to a quick 10-1 lead. Oregon State cut the lead to three on a couple of occasions, but that was as close as the score would get. The Wildcats pulled away late for a 25-17 victory.
The Wildcats return to action on Wednesday as they play at No. 2 Stanford at 7 p.m. The match will air live on the Pac-12 Networks.
For continued coverage of Arizona Wildcat volleyball, visit ArizonaWildcats.com and be sure to follow the team on Twitter @ArizonaVBall.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Career Services
- 526 E. 14th Street
- tel: 610-499-4176
- email@example.com
Office Hours
- Monday-Friday
- 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The Career Services team at Widener strives to be your partner in recruiting the finest talent for your organization. We are here to connect you with the talented students and alumni and accomplish this through the development of individualized strategies and plans for each employer, considering your organization's specific needs, schedules, and creativity.
We welcome your calls and e-mails to help you determine the best approach to recruiting our students, whether it's job, internship, and co-op postings; networking opportunities, event sponsorships and participation; career fairs, class presentations; information sessions; and other activities on and off campus. Please click on the links below to learn more.
You may contact us at 610-499-4176 or email@example.com.
- Build Your Employer Brand
- Post Employment Opportunities on Pride CAREERS
- Report a Hire.


text:
Resource Description
Zoological Record (1978 - Current)
Zoological Record is the online version of the print publication detailing animal biology, acting as a taxonomic record and unofficial register of animal names. The database lists references for articles where notes about species appear. The print edition goes back to 1864 and is a good companion to this online source for years before 2004.
Print holdings for 1870 - 2008


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Value of fermented foods
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Humans have been fermenting foods to aid in digestion for as far back as we can trace. Primarily they were fermented to improve holding and storing properties of foods. The milk from camels were fermented naturally to produce some of the first yogurts. Stored in goat bags and dropped over the back of camels in the hot deserts of North Africa with temperatures reaching 40C (110F) it was the ideal environment for lactic acid-producing bacteria to go to work. Pickles date back to ancient Egypt and vinegar was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans as a digestive aid, and to promote a healthy liver and gallbladder.
Every culture in the world has some form of fermented foods they eat with meals to aid in digestion. It isn't necessary to eat very much, just enough to provide the proper enzymes to help break down food and make the nutrients available for absorption in the small intestine. Common in Indian, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine are sweet, sour and salty pickles; while in North and Central Europe you will find sauerkraut and, again, pickles; the Mediterranean countries serve a small glass of red wine, cider or beer with meals to provide digestive enzymes.
When foods are fermented the bacteria, yeasts or molds used in the process, predigest the food, meaning they break down the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to create microflora, friendly, life giving bacteria beneficial to the gastrointestinal system. These colonize in your intestines and work to keep the unfriendly intestinal organisms under control, such as yeast, parasites, virus, and unfriendly bacteria. Fermented foods come in many guises, some you might eat on a regular basis, such as aged cheese, beer, and wine, while others can have medicinal qualities that support the immune system and aid in healing the digestive system.
Acidophilus: Lactobacillus Acidophilus is a beneficial micro-flora commonly found in yogurt, kefir and fermented vegetables. It can also be taken in capsule form.
Cultured Vegetables: cultured vegetables are made with a base of shredded cabbage and a few other grated vegetables packed tightly into an airtight ceramic container and fermented for up to a week or more. The process creates an acidic environment for friendly bacteria to reproduce. Korean Kimchi and raw sauerkraut are good examples of this.
Miso: made from either rice, soybeans, barley or chickpeas, miso is a fermented paste aged in wooden kegs for 2 months to 2 years. High in beneficial enzymes, with traces of B-12 and antioxidants, it is said to be helpful in removing radiation from the body. (Maha also enjoys tempeh from time-to-time.)
Pickles: Pickles contain large amounts of lactobacilli bacteria, which are important to the digestion of grains and vegetables. One property common to all pickles is high fiber, which is important to proper intestinal functioning.
Vinegar: specifically apple cider vinegar is rich in beneficial enzymes and used medicinally is said to strengthen the immune system, control weight, promote good digestion, and balance blood pH levels.
-- Delia Quigley
Director of StillPoint Schoolhouse, where she teaches a holistic lifestyle designed to achieve optimal health and well being, based on her 28 years of study, experience and practice. She is the creator of the Body Rejuvenation Cleanse, Cooking the Basics videos and classes, and Broken Bodies Yoga. Delia's credentials include holistic nutritional counselor, natural foods chef, yoga instructor, energy therapist and public speaker.
Quigley is the author of seven books on health and nutrition, including: The Body Rejuvenation Cleanse, The Complete Idiots Guide to Detoxing Your Body, The Everything SuperFoods Book, and Empowering Your Life With Meditation, available on Amazon.com. To view her website go to:
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My SparkPage
Yum! I love pickles, yogurt and sauerkraut!
2461 days ago
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My SparkPage
Excellent info!
2462 days ago
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My SparkPage
Yummmm. After reading about all that yumminess, I'm feeling peckish.... I might need to go and have a bowl of my lovely home-made yoghurt!
2462 days ago
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Let's hear it for sauerkraut, apple cider & yogurt!
MAHA for the info!
2462 days ago
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Maha - Thanks for additional information on a subject for which I am info-poor - but no longer, thanks to you!
Methinks me love me wine and me yogurt!!!!!
Have an awesome day! Will try you over the weekend, my friend.
2462 days ago
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yep--a balanced diet provides what we need.
2462 days ago
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Hey -- hi yoga buddy!
Notice that Quigley distinguishes between types of fermented foods, saying they "come in many guises, some you might eat on a regular basis, such as aged cheese, beer, and wine" that aid in digestion and then she goes on to list others that "can have medicinal qualities that support the immune system and aid in healing the digestive system."
So pickles aid digestion and yogurt has additional immune-supporting qualities!
2462 days ago
Comment edited on: 10/1/2009 11:17:16 AM
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My SparkPage
hmmm! so, maybe i'll try some pickles and yogurt rather than going for a digestive aid. lol maybe not pickles and yogurt together heh.
interesting :) yaaay microbiology (i do have an A, btw)!
lol in class we were talking about pickles: it is ok to stick your hand in the jar b/c the harmful bacteria from you get dehydrated and die in the juice : )
2462 days ago
Comment edited on: 10/1/2009 10:06:40 AM
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Ashley Giles admitted that England's nail-biting loss at the Gabba was "really difficult" to take, but is nevertheless optimistic of their prospects for next year's World Cup Down Under.
Australia doubled their lead in the best-of-five series via a one-wicket win with three balls to spare as James Faulkner clubbed five sixes and then, in the last over with 12 runs needed, three fours for 69 not out.
It was a bitter pill for the tourists to swallow, especially after Eoin Morgan's sixth one-day international ton had helped them to a strong 300 for eight.
Speaking exclusively to ecb.co.uk, England limited-overs coach Giles said: "It's really difficult [to take].
"When you've played a lot of good cricket, you're one-nil down in the series and you're almost over the line, it goes to show until that last ball, that last wicket's taken, it's never all over.
"Faulkner played extremely well at the end and timed it just right, but [it's] disappointing for everyone [in the England camp]."
However, with the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in mind, Giles added: "It's easy to say sometimes when you lose 'you've got to take the positives out of it', but there are a lot of positives there.
"We're all building towards the World Cup as well. Every series is important - I'm not trying to belittle this one, and we play this to win and we were really close today - but with the bigger picture in mind, the World Cup being here next year, it's exciting for me as a coach because we've got the formation of a side that could do really good things going forward."
Morgan, who averages 40.5 in his 109 ODIs, is a lynchpin in England's middle order.
Today he lifted them from 78 for three, sharing a pulsating stand of 117 with Jos Buttler that the wicketkeeper-batsman contributed 49, his final score, to.
"Morgs is hugely experienced, but a real ice man as well," Giles said.
"He reads situations well. He stays calm. For the younger guys - and Buttler is still relatively inexperienced in one-day international cricket, [Ben] Stokes [is too] - he can calm them. He's a calming influence.
"And we saw today the way he and Buttler saw through that partnership of 120-odd was fantastic. It almost got us over the line but not quite today."
In the intense Brisbane heat Morgan picked up a calf injury, which will be monitored ahead of Sunday's third ODI at Sydney.
Asked of Morgan's immediately prospects of playing at the SCG, Giles replied: "We're not sure yet. He's come off with a little bit of a calf [problem].
"It's been very hot here today and he's been on the field for a long time. Hopefully it's nothing too serious, but we'll have a look and fingers crossed for Sunday."


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Former First lady of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings has stated that "a multi- facetted approach is needed to make women empowerment a reality". She said this at the African University College of Communications (AUCC) on Monday, 17th January, 2011 during the launch of the women's week celebration organized by the AUCC Students Representative Council.
The theme for the launch was "Empowering today's woman for... read more»
Miss. Portia Solomon, a 2006 alumnus of the African University College of Communications (AUCC) and currently news anchor at TV3, the biggest private television network in Ghana, has been nominated as a potential award winner for the 2010 Cable News Network/Multichoice African Journalists Awards.
The event, which is in its 16th year, received entries from 42 countries across Africa and will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2011 in Johannesburg,... read more»
The African University College of Communications (AUCC) has received $42,000 from UNESCO for mainstreaming gender and minorities in journalism education.
The money was approved at the meeting of the bureau of the International Programme for Development Communications (IPDC) which was held between March 22 – March 24, 2011, at the UNESCO... read more»
A Level 300 student of the African University College of Communications (AUCC) Ms. Priscilla Asare, has been crowned Miss Club Miss Tourism 2011.
read more»
A two -member delegation led by the Vice President (Academic) of Clark Atlanta University (CAU) in Atlanta, Georgia in U.S.A., Dr. Joseph H. Silver, has visited the African University College of Communications (AUCC) to discuss ways of strengthening the partnership between the two universities. Dr. Silver was accompanied by Dr. Paul Brown, Director of International Programmes (CAU).
read more»


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College Hockey:Flaman to be inducted into Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame
Six men and three women will be inducted into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame on Nov. 9 at Lombardo's in Randolph.
The class of 2011 includes legendary Northeastern coach Fernie Flaman.
Former Boston Bruins Mike O'Connell and Bobby Miller will also be enshrined, along with hockey writer Jack Falla and builders Dan Lynch, Phil Re, Gloria Heerman, Barbara Wright and Jeanette Duval.
Nominees of the Hall of Fame are chosen on the basis of accomplishments in the game of hockey, sportsmanship, character and contributions to his or her teams or organizations in college, amateur or professional hockey, or on international teams representing the United States.
Tickets are $60 and can be purchased by contacting Jim Prior via email (email@example.com) or by calling (781) 938-4400.
The following is a self-policing forum for discussing views on this story. Comments that are derogatory, make personal attacks, are abusive, or contain profanity or racism will be removed at our discretion. USCHO.com is not responsible for comments posted by users. Please report any inappropriate or offensive comments by clicking the "Flag" link next to that comment in order to alert the moderator.
Please also keep "woofing," taunting, and otherwise unsportsmanlike behavior to a minimum. Your posts will more than likely be deleted, and worse yet, you reflect badly on yourself, your favorite team and your conference.


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Thu 27 Sep 2007
What Is Hair Miniaturization?Category: Causes of Hair Loss , Common Questions , Female Hair Loss , General Hair Loss Topics
I am losing my hair and have a question. I have been reading about the hair miniaturization process and want to know what that is and how I would be able to spot it. Can you help?
Thank you for your inquiry.
Despite popular belief, hair shedding does not necessarily indicate hair loss. In fact, shedding of the hair is a normal part of the hair growth cycle. Hair miniaturization occurs however, when the hair growth cycle speeds up during hair loss. A miniaturized hair can be any hair that is shorter and thinner looking than the rest of your hair. Typically hairs that are further along in the miniatirized process will start to lose it's color and continue to become finer and thinner than the rest of your hair.
It is almost nearly impossible to find miniaturized hairs on your own scalp. A dermatologist or hair restoration specialist would be better at spotting them as they are trained to do so and use hair magnification.
Best wishes,
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog
Technorati Tags: losing my hair, hair miniaturization, hair shedding, shedding of the hair, hair growth cycle, hair loss, miniaturized hair, miniaturized hairs, hair magnification
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6 Responses to "What Is Hair Miniaturization?"
jack Says:
September 17th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
if miniaturize hair are treated well with organic hair growth methods…can those tiny hair grow back normally and become thick as the other hair.
Bill - Managing Publisher Says:
September 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Without knowing in particular which products you're referring to, just know that there are a number of so called herbal and organic hair loss treatments making bold but unsubstantiated claims of hair regrowth. To date, only Propecia (finasteride – men only) and Rogaine (minoxidil) are proven and FDA approved treatments to stop hair loss. If your hair loss is genetic, you may want to consider these two solutions.
Best wishes,
Bill Seemiller
Associate Publisher/Editor
Fred Says:
February 8th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
When my hair grows out my hair grows considerably slower on my crown then the rest of my hair further it looks thinner, when i cut my hair there is no signs of thinning am I going bald?
David aka - TakingthePlunge Says:
February 10th, 2011 at 6:39 am
Hair loss can manifest itself in any number of ways. It's impossible to tell if you are balding without a thorough examination by a hair loss expert. I recommend consulting with a dermatologist or one of our recommended hair restoration physicians.
If you are in the early stages of genetic balding, you may benefit from using Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) in order to slow your hair loss or even regrow hair.
David (TakingThePlunge)
jj Says:
February 28th, 2013 at 12:04 am
Sorry but so called 'hair – loss experts ' are cons. The field is full of un passionate people who interestingly enough have not been able to cure their own baldness. There is research not yet done. THere are areas which many people refuse to look at or identify. That is why your hair loss issue will not resolve. Do not waste your money on doctors. If you want prescription medication to try buy it online. Many doctors will not even acknowledge the hair loss. By the time you find a doctor, if you ever do, that will acknowledge some amount of hair loss or problem you have waited to long and most of the damaged has been done. It does from a rescue mission to a recovery mission. Moral definitely goes down but it is also a harder situation to deal with.
David aka - TakingthePlunge Says:
March 5th, 2013 at 4:55 am
Clearly I don't know anything about your history but, from your brief and misinformed comments, I can only assume that you've had a bad experience or two with an unskilled or unethical "hair loss expert" who perhaps claimed to have the power to cure baldness.
First and foremost, there is no hair loss cure. Once balding men and women come to understand that there is no secret miracle cure known only to a select few individuals and waiting to be uncovered, they are better able to understand and consider the proven and credible treatments that today's medical science has to offer.
The truth is that clinically proven medical hair loss treatments like Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride) can, in many cases, slow the progression of androgenic alopecia and even regrow hair. Combined with state of the art hair transplant surgery and careful planning, a large percentage of balding patients can restore an aesthetically pleasing head of hair that can last a lifetime.
It's very important to note that not everyone is a candidate for surgical hair restoration or even drug treatment. For that reason, it is critically important that the first hair restoration surgeon you consult with is skilled, ethical and experienced. Our hair loss community exists for this very reason. We maintain a list of pre-screened, quality hair restoration physicians worldwide. Click here to learn about our demanding recommendation standards.
Yes, bald hair transplant surgeons are not uncommon. However, as I mentioned above, not everyone is a candidate for hair restoration. Additionally, while you may not feel the same way, there are many men who embrace their baldness and look darn good doing so. For them, it's just not an issue. I can also point out that a number of the physicians we recommend are also hair transplant recipients. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.
All the best to you!


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College Hockey:Globke Propels Irish Over Falcons
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Rob Globke scored the game-winner as Notre Dame edged past Bowling Green 3-2 at Joyce Arena Friday night.
Notre Dame opened the scoring late into the first. With Tyler Knight in the penalty box for charging and Ryan Wetterberg just stepping back onto the ice after serving his own infraction, ND's Connor Dunlop put the puck past BG goalie Tyler Masters. Globke and Dan Carlson helped set up Dunlop's power-play goal, his fifth score on the year, at 19:16.
Bowling Green would answer early in the second with a power-play marker of their own. While T.J. Mathieson served an obstruction hooking call, the Falcon power-play unit crashed the net and defenseman Marc Barlow successfully roofed a shot past Notre Dame netminder Tony Zasowski. Scott Hewson garnered an assist on the play for his first point on the night.
Approximately 12 minutes later, Globke reclaimed the one-goal lead for the Fighting Irish with his 13th of the season.
The Falcon power play lit the lamp again to even things up at 5:35 of the third. Grady Moore passed the puck ahead to a breaking Ryan Murphy and Zasowski was able to stop Murphy's wrist shot, but Hewson banged it past the ND goaltender for his sixth marker of the season and second point of the contest.
Globke then scored his second of the night to put the Irish ahead for good. Globke's team-leading 14th of the campaign was set up by Neil Komadoski.
Masters recorded 31 saves for Bowling Green, while Zasowski stopped 35 shots for Notre Dame. The Falcon power play scored two goals in five opportunities, and Notre Dame was able to capitalize once on four chances.
BG's record currently stands at 10-15-4 (5-12-4 CCHA); Notre Dame improves to 7-21-5 (4-14-4 CCHA).
Bowling Green and Notre Dame square off again Saturday night at Joyce Arena. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
The following is a self-policing forum for discussing views on this story. Comments that are derogatory, make personal attacks, are abusive, or contain profanity or racism will be removed at our discretion. USCHO.com is not responsible for comments posted by users. Please report any inappropriate or offensive comments by clicking the "Flag" link next to that comment in order to alert the moderator.
Please also keep "woofing," taunting, and otherwise unsportsmanlike behavior to a minimum. Your posts will more than likely be deleted, and worse yet, you reflect badly on yourself, your favorite team and your conference.


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I believe the purchase of National Linen by ALSCO means that a number of healthcare facilities will be changing vendors over the next several years.
ALSCO doesn't feel that servicing hospitals falls into its field of expertise. Unless ALSCO changes its corporate philosophy, a highly unlikely event, it'll be looking to shed a number of hospital accounts over the next several years. I've been told that ALSCO will honor existing contracts but that it's not interested in extending or renewing any of them.
At least one of the National Linen facilities purchased by ALSCO was almost exclusively dedicated to hospital and healthcare work. It's logical that this facility will probably be sold in the next year to a company that wants to be in this type of business.
National Linen had a number of corporate contracts for linen service that were developed because of the company's geographical coverage. Their loss creates a void in the marketplace and will open the door for a number of regional providers that were unable to compete under the old system.
I expect to see prices in the hospital market climb. The loss of competition and heavily discounted national contracts will set in motion price increases that will be most obvious when hospitals go back out to bid.
The laundry industry, which has been battered by increased costs on natural gas, electricity, water, sewer and gasoline, will finally have a chance to properly adjust prices without the fear of losing customers.The Wall Street Journal, in an article dated Sept. 6, reported that hospitals are in no better shape to deal with disasters than they were on Sept 11, 2001.
"In addition, Premier – a non-profit alliance of 1,500 hospitals and health systems – convened a task force this summer to develop protocols on supply-chain continuity, noting that hospitals using 'just-in-time' inventory procedures may lack necessary stockpiles to sustain operations in the aftermath of a disaster," the newspaper reported.
This statement, when put in context of the new Y2K-type fear – "global pandemic" – means that hospitals are looking for more secure providers for personal protective equipment.
I shared with you last month that Kimberly-Clark announced a potential shortfall in certain personal protective items and made plans to ration its supplies to existing customers by allowing no more than a 10% increase in purchases over the previous year's. Whether this is a marketing scheme by Kimberly-Clark or a real potential problem is yet to be seen, but it does open the door for reusable linen items.
Hospitals cannot afford to tie up scarce capital resources in extra inventory. The current model of just-in-time inventory was designed to minimize the money and space used in inventory management. Hospitals must now choose between using reusable personal protective equipment from a dependable supplier or finding the space and money needed to increase their inventory on these items.
Historically, a number of us gained a substantial amount of reusable O.R. towel business when the cheap O.R. towel supply was interrupted after the freedom demonstrations in China.
A once dependable supply became almost nonexistent, and hospitals and suppliers scrambled to fill the void. The production eventually was moved to India and Pakistan but a number of us were able to supply high-quality reusable O.R. towels to help fill the void.
It often takes this type of marketplace trauma to get someone to look outside their comfort zone.
If you're not prepared to embrace this opportunity to supply reusable personal protective equipment, then now's the time to quickly learn this side of the industry.
Make the Most of Opportunities
I believe the purchase of National Linen by ALSCO means that a number of healthcare facilities will be changing vendors over the next several years.


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I have a DroboPro that is currently connected to a GS748TS switch. Also connected to the switch is a server and few workstations.
Which method would be better in performance?
Add a NIC to the server. Direct connect the DroboPro via iSCSI to the new NIC.
Add a NIC to the server. Create a dedicated VLAN for the new NIC and Drobo.
Add a NIC to the server and attach it to a separate switch. DroboPro connects to the switch. Becomes a private network, similar to a VLAN.
- DroboPro has a single ethernet connection.
- Server has a single ethernet connection (currently).
- Workstations each have a single ethernet connection.


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Today is Thanksgiving.
It is a unique holiday in America in that we take a day to give thanks to God for the blessings we have received. Thanksgiving as a tradition began early in American.
When we think of Thanksgiving, we think of the Pilgrims. They are an amazing part of American history. But they were not the first to celebrate Thanksgiving. IN 1565, Spanish settlers in what is now St. Augustine Florida celebrated the Catholic Mass of Thanksgiving.
In 1621, the Pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving.
It was not until 1863, that America celebrated Thanksgiving as a holiday. In the dark days of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln directed that there be a day of "Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."
Thanksgiving has been a tradition since then.
In both good times and bad, Americans give thanks to God for the wonderful blessings we have.
This thanksgiving is one of those dark times. Millions of Americans are out of work and millions are slipping into poverty. America is stressed almost to the breaking point.
Yet this year, once again we give thanks.
Despite the problem, America is a remarkable nation and Americans are an exceptional people. It is this exceptionalism that makes America a great nation and allows Americans to do things others only dream of doing.
Today most of our businesses close and we spend the day with family.
Despite the times of trouble we see now, Americans still have much to be thankful for.
On behalf of all of us at Tea Party Nation, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.
The original Thanksgiving proclamation
October 3, 1863
By the President of the United States
A Proclamation
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United Stated States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.
Abraham Lincoln
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I have so much to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving to every one.
The best teachers are those who are what they teach.
We can all be a little better about walking the walk.
When you change, you both influence change in the world and inspire others to change.
Wonderful, and Happy Thanksgiving to all My TPN friends, God Bless you all............
Please have a very blessed THANKSGIVING.
A blessed Thanksgiving to all the patriots here at TPN, and may God bless America.
In the Bible, we are told to be thankful to God for everything, including trials and tribulations. It says that everything works together for good for those who love God. We love America; but even in America, as Christians we are just pilgrims passing through.
When I think of Thanksgiving I go back to the original Thanksgiving in 1608 at Jamestown Va. 13 years before the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. When they landed at Jamestown, they went to the top of the hill overlooking the harbor and held a Thanksgiving to God. There is a monument there today, with a Gazebo built over it to protect it from the weather. I thank God everyday for all I have, and without him I would have nothing. to paraphrase one of Jesus appostles, " I plant, I fertilize, I water.... but only God can make it grow." Happy Thanksgiving to all, may God bless each and every one, and may God Bless America............again, PLEASE........
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Gandolfini, 51, has died of a sudden heart attack. Gandolfini, most known for his roles as Tony Soprano on the HBO drama, "The Sopranos" was in Sicily for the 59th annal Taormina Film Festival. Gandolfini was scheduled to participate in the event over the weekend . It was reported that he was to join the stage with Italian director Gabriele Muccino.
"The Sopranos" began in 1999 and lasted until 2008. It remains one of HBO's most viewed television drams. Gandolfini won three Emmy awards for his role of Tony Soprano during the six season run. James was also in popular movies such as "Get Shorty," "The Mexican," and Zero Dark Thirty."
TMZ reported they last spoke with Gandolfini in May and "he was in great spirits, making funny faces and joking about a "Sopranos" movie. Reports came in that Gandolfini was tattoo shopping prior to his death. Gandolfini visited T-Man Tattoo in Studio City, Calif. on June 1. The owner stated James was very excited to get his new ink. He did not tell the artist what he wanted to get done, only that he had just moved to the neighborhood and would later return this month for the tattoo session.
"Sopranos" creator David Chase said that James "was a genius. Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that." Chase goes on to say, " He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time. A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes."
David Chase finds sadness in thinking about James's family. " For Deborah and Michael and Lilana this is crushing."
Stars have begun to share their thoughts on Twitter.
Olivia Wilde: James Gandolfini was a kind, funny, wonderful guy. I'm so lucky to have worked with him. Sending love to his family. Such a sad, sad day.
Samuel L. Jackson:Massive blow to the acting community today... The passing of James Gandolfini. So talented. My heart goes out to his family!
John Cusack: RIP James Gandolfini - had the pleasure of working with him and knowing him a bit- always a truth teller- gent and all around class act-
It brings great sadness to announce the death of James Gandolfini. He was a great actor who will be missed by millions. Please share your condolences in the comments below.


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Tuesday: Health Points
- The World Health Organization wants more countries to ban smoking. Reuters reports:
The report by scientists at the WHO's International Agency for Cancer Research urged more countries to adopt smoking bans in public and at the workplace, saying there was enough evidence to prove they work, without hurting businesses such as restaurants and bars.
"Implementation of such policies can have a broader population effect of increasing smoke-free environments," the researchers wrote in the Lancet Oncology special report.
"Not only do these policies achieve their aim of protecting the health of non-smokers by decreasing exposure to second-hand smoke, they also have many effects on smoking behavior, which compound the health benefits."
Watching television in America takes some getting used to. Apart from the accent, it is strange to hear companies marketing drugs directly to the consumer. Not only do they sell their own brand, but they actively name and shame their competitors' products. During a commercial break there may be two different brands of antihistamine telling you how bad the other is.
Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is the promotion of prescription drugs through newspaper, magazine, television and internet marketing. Although the drug industry is mounting major campaigns to have DTCA allowed in Europe and Canada, the only two developed countries where it is currently legal are the U.S. and New Zealand.
Studies have shown that increases in DTCA have contributed to overall increases in spending on both the advertised drug itself and on other drugs that treat the same conditions. For example, one study of 64 drugs found a median increase in sales of $2.20 for every $1 spent on DTCA. It has been reported that 10 of the leading 12 brand-name drugs with DTCA campaigns have sales in excess of $1 billion annually.
The Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office on Women's Health launched BodyWorks in 2006 by training instructors in the hopes that they would bring the program home to their communities. All materials are provided free, but communities must find the resources to pay trainers and a place to offer the program.
"Throughout the years I've worked with nutritionists, I've worked with diet programs, and it's very frustrating," Dr. Monica Richter, a pediatrician on staff at the Children's Hospital Seattle and a BodyWorks instructor who coordinates fundraising to help support the program, told Reuters Health. "I'm hoping that this will be one of the answers to this growing problem."
Girls 9 to 13 years old who are overweight or obese are referred to BodyWorks through their pediatrician, or by word of mouth. Parents and caregivers attend 10 weekly 90-minute sessions, and girls are expected to show up for at least three. The goal is to give parents and caregivers "hands-on tools to make small behavior changes to prevent obesity and help maintain a healthier weight," according to the BodyWorks Web site (http://www.womenshealth.gov/bodyworks/).
- Nutrition labeling for trans-fat is about to get tricky. E.J. Mundell of HealthDay News is on it:
However, a new study suggests that the Nutrition Facts panel found on the side of grocery store products does a poor job of getting that message across to consumers.
"It's very misleading to just throw a number out there," contends study author Elizabeth Howlett, a professor of marketing at the University of Arkansas, in Little Rock.
Her team found that the average health-conscious consumer is often misled by trans fat information found on the Nutrition Facts panel.
The main problem is that because no amount of trans fat is good for you, it makes no sense to post a percentage of the "recommended daily value" -- as is done with other ingredients such as sugar, or total or saturated fats. So consumers are just left with a number -- such as 2, 3 or 4 grams of trans fat per serving -- and no way of interpreting how unhealthy that might be.
- Presenting, the Mona Lisa in rice. Nice catch Slashfood:
What surprises me most about it is that the parking lot next to the field is not full. I would think people would be lined up to climb up on that roof and get a good look at the art from above.
- Sports bras, could they power your iPod? More from Adrienne So of Slate:
Even a bra that perfectly maximized motion (without sacrificing support and comfort) would be useful to me only if there were a way to turn that motion into energy. For a primer on how to do that, I turned to Professor Zhong Lin Wang of Georgia Tech, who is currently working to develop fabric made from nanowires that will capture energy from motion. Wang's wires are about 1/1,000th the width of a human hair. When woven together in a fabric, these nanowires rub up against one another and convert the mechanical energy from the friction into an electric charge. According to Wang, the fabric is cheap to produce and surprisingly efficient; his team hopes to use it to create energy-generating T-shirts and other articles of clothing. A square meter of fiber produces about 80 milliwatts of power, which is enough to run a small device like a cell phone. Wang expects to have a shirt available for purchase within five years.
Many bra patterns call for about a meter of fabric, which would probably mean that a regular bra would have enough energy to power an iPod. But the fabric could also be layered, doubling or even tripling the amount of energy produced. I asked Wang whether his fabric could be used to make a bra. "Bras would be ideal," he said. "There is a lot of friction and movement in that general area. And the fabric would be thick."
- One parent is not assumed by the "sneaking healthy food" approach children's diets. From The Los Angeles Times:
Parents secretly putting things (even if it's broccoli) into their children's food without their knowing it? When they grow up, I wonder what they'll think of that?
Seems a trust is broken here, and I'm not sure it won't affect food issues these children may have down the line.
Delicious is key where food and children are concerned. If a parent wants to get a child to eat fruit, he or she can wash, chop and freeze fresh strawberries, then take a blender and pour in one cup of fat-free milk. Add three packages of artificial sweetener. Add four or five frozen strawberries, and blend. Keep adding strawberries until you have a thick, luscious strawberry milkshake that could stand toe-to-toe with any fast-food shake you've ever had.
Condition worsened
The girl grew increasingly weak and feverish and "became more limp, appears sleepy, acts as if drunk," the report said. She was hospitalized and underwent surgery and was finally withdrawn from life support. She died April 5, according to the report.
The 9- and 6-year-olds suffered from mitochondrial disorders, a spectrum of genetic diseases that has received almost no attention from federal health officials. The 9-year-old, Hannah Poling, was 19 months old and developing normally in 2000 when she received five shots against nine infectious diseases. Two days later, she developed a fever, cried inconsolably and refused to walk. In the next seven months, she spiraled downward, and in 2001, she was diagnosed with autism.


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What are some of the most nerve-wracking industry issues that telcos and wireline service providers face? Here are five top nail-biters.
Wireline industry scare fest: What keeps telco executives up at night?
As Halloween approaches, FierceTelecom decided to ponder: What makes wireline executives turn their heads in a 360° fashion? Putting aside my fascination with how the story and graphic images of


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This blog is about the relationship between organizations and the people who work for them and the communities they operate in. And, it's dedicated to the 100s of millions of people around the world who go to work every day wanting to do a great job.
Why change just isn't that hard
Earlier this morning, I tuned into a new podcast I've just started following and heard them talking about how change is soooo hard.
The recent 30th anniversary of the Mac reminded me just how easy it is to change behaviour when it's well motivated. ┬Ā
Think about it. ┬ĀWhen you first learned how to type there was no going back to writing by hand. You could get your ideas out faster and the result was cleaner. ┬ĀI'm not saying there aren't things that you want to write by hand – personal cards and letters, diaries, reminders to yourself, but generally there's no going back.
When you got your first computer – even with all the technical challenges and you know there were many – there was no going back to that clunky typewriter and carbon copies. ┬Ā
And, as the technology improved over the years we've all made the transition without batting an eye. ┬ĀIf you still have doubts think of all the technology you use today that you didn't use 5 years ago [or even last month] and how it's changed your behaviour. ┬ĀAnd, it's not only about technology. ┬Ā
Nearly a decade ago, I looked around while I was walking around my neighbourhood and noticed a startling thing. I saw older people who were physically active and those who were confined to walkers and wheel chairs. Although some of those who were incapacitated were there because of debilitating diseases, many of them were there for what were lifestyle choices. It was a moment of truth for me. Which did I want to be? ┬Ā
I ┬Āknew which direction I was going in. ┬ĀHaving spent years as a couch potato – occasionally going on a diet or for a walk – I was starting to wake up with aches and pains. ┬ĀI'd┬Āwatched┬Āmy my weight slide up and up. I decided that it was time to start training and then about 6 years ago I joined Weight Watchers and I've never looked back. ┬Ā┬ĀIt didn't happen over night, but┬ĀI lost over 40 pounds. I started a routine of yoga and running that I have learned to love. My lifestyle and fitness level today aren't anything like they were a decade ago. ┬ĀIt's been a major and sustainable change.
Why? ┬ĀWell, when change is well motivated it's easy.
Where does that leave those of us who have seen one failed change management process after another? ┬ĀIt leaves us with the realization that no matter how well the change was communicated,┬Āno matter how many times people were told they needed to change or disaster would ensue,┬Āno matter how much was spent to market the change and tell them all the benefits, the change was not well motivated from the perspective of those who were being asked to change.┬Ā
If you have any doubt, check this out.
With thanks to a colleague of mine┬ĀTom Hendrikson, a fellow┬Āstudent┬Āof the┬Ā"mechanics, orientation and spirit of the creative process"┬Āand Chief Breakthrough Officer at┬ĀSixsense Strategy Group. I tuned into the podcast just moments after we'd hung up after a conversation about change and what motivates change. Nice contrast! ┬ĀAnd thanks Tom for reminding me about this great video. ┬Ā
Creating spaces that create…
I've just arrived at the offices of one of Montreal's most internationally recognized and awarded new media and entertainment studios.
It's across the street from a building that looks ready for demolition and┬Āin a warehouse where the only sign is huge and says: "Espace a louer" [space for rent]. ┬ĀI go up the steps, through the front door and┬Āinto the 'lobby' – big word for the little space. ┬ĀIt takes a minute to find any indication of where the business is. ┬ĀOnce I do I climb the stairs and find myself in their reception slash kitchen slash dining slash coffee slash creating slash… space.
I'm greeted, very casually, by someone sitting behind a "reception" desk. ┬ĀA lot of distractions. I'm early so I take a seat on a long black leather couch and I look around.
White floors, white walls and white ceiling. ┬ĀBut it's not antiseptic or cold. ┬ĀIt's oddly warm and appealing. It's messy. Paper and tinfoil creations hang from the ceiling. ┬ĀPeople are constantly moving through the space – clients rolling their suitcases through on their way back to NYC or Los Vegas or LA; staff of various ages but mostly male and mostly young walking fast or zipping through on skateboards, or making themselves tea or coffee, chatting.
Then a guy arrives and starts playing around with something on a big touch screen. ┬ĀAll of a sudden an eyeball appears and is projected onto a huge round screen on the wall in front of me. ┬ĀHe plays around for a bit, but something's just not working. ┬ĀA younger guy shows up and starts helpfully making suggestions. They experiment with different things together. Now it's clear that they are trying to get the huge full screen eyeball to rotate.┬ĀI'm fascinated.┬ĀHe leaves. Then they are both gone. They both comes back with a more senior tech guy… Play around. Disappear so he can show him something… ┬ĀThis is creating. ┬Ā
The three of them are focused on the thing they are trying to create together. ┬ĀNot each other. ┬ĀNo posturing. No ego. No competition – or at least not in this moment. ┬ĀThis is especially surprising because this is one of the most high┬Ātestosterone geek environments I've ever been in except for one other; this one doesn't have acrobats. ┬Ā
Compare this experience to a recent visit I had to another corporate head office. ┬ĀThere, I find the same┬Āwhite walls and ceiling. This time natural wood floors. Red rather than black leather couch. Kitchens and nooks.┬ĀOpen office space even for the CEO.┬ĀSpaces created for people to meet and exchange. And, by all accounts employees love it. Who wouldn't it's modern, clean, bright and┬Ābeautiful.┬ĀBut, where is everybody? ┬ĀAnd, what are they working on?┬ĀThose that are there have there heads down in their space. ┬ĀIt's quiet. ┬ĀReally, really quiet.
So what's going on?┬ĀIs it that the work of most organizations is not about bringing into being but solving problems as an end in themselves?┬ĀIs it that not all creating takes collaboration and ┬Āwhen there is no real aspiration to create together you can't fake it?┬Ā
The thing is we're not thinking about it. ┬ĀToday, most leaders believe: ┬Ā
- Their businesses need to be more innovative.┬Ā
- Their┬Āemployees [all of them] need to be more creative and collaborative.
- They can magically create spaces that will lead to more and better creating and innovation like lighting a fuse that leads to an explosion.
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Two leadership lessons from 'Gravity'
It's rare that Michael and I actually go to the movie theatre. ┬ĀBut this past long weekend that's what we did. ┬ĀHaving heard rave reviews about 'Gravity' it seemed the right thing to do on a rainy fall holiday Monday. ┬ĀSo, off we went to see it in IMAX 3D. ┬ĀWow! ┬ĀAnd, wow!
And in the midst of the wow communication, or the lack of it, plays a critical role in the plot. ┬ĀSo, without giving anything away two lessons:
- When communication fails big – as in global failure of communication technology – it's bad. ┬ĀReally, really bad. ┬ĀAnd, we are vulnerable whether we're astronauts or communication professionals. ┬ĀYou need a back up plan. ┬ĀAnd maybe another. Do you have yours?
- When communication technology fails, even in the high tech world of outer space exploration, you still need basic information. ┬ĀDoes our hero reach for an iPad? ┬ĀNo. She reaches for manuals – yes, three ring binders. ┬ĀTechnical manuals with coloured covers that instantly tell you what they are for, coloured tabs for the different sections, simple images and little text. Do you have yours?
You might want to take a lesson from "Gravity" and prepare for anything. ┬ĀBecause when anything happens,┬Ā'flawless' communication is more important than ever. ┬Ā
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"I am not a number!"
Well, it turns out you are. ┬ĀLots and lots of numbers.
Numbers can be used to diminish and dehumanize. Survivors of the holocaust concentration camps living in Montreal bear the evidence of their experience; numbers tattooed on their inner arm.
As recently as 1996 when the last residential school in Canada closed, First Nations People were stripped of their names and given numbers. "I'm 31" was an opening line to a testimony I heard┬Āwhile attending the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings here in the spring.┬ĀAnd this legacy lives on. "I'm from treaty 5, bordering on 6". No community name, just numbers.
Or, numbers can be used to celebrate and encourage┬Ā– sports sweater numbers are so associated with particular players that they get retired┬Ā[e.g. The Hab's Jean Beliveau's #4], being named "number 1" , milestone birthdays.
Or, numbers can just be the backdrop to our lives. I remember getting my Social Insurance Number. It was a right of passage. Now I could finally go out and get a real job. No more babysitting for me.
When I got that job one of the first things that happened was that I was assigned an employee number. Now I had all the rights and responsibilities of an employee.
Numbers are still an important part of my life: phone numbers, apartment numbers, passwords [OK numbers and letters], credit card numbers, health insurance numbers, invoice numbers, postal codes, GST/PST numbers, cheque numbers, bank card numbers. Lots and lots of numbers. Nothing special.
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Humility, respect & a customer experience to remember
Michael and I love to cook. Over the years our beautiful German knives had started to show it. No amount of sharpening was going to bring those blades back. And a cook without functioning knives is no cook at all.
So, off we went with a bundle of knives to visit L'├ēmoulier a very small – not much bigger than a walk in closet – store that specializes in knives. We walked through the door into a different world. A world where Japanese knives of all sizes and shapes line the walls. ┬ĀThey are beautiful and we can't help but feel that our once majestic knives had never compared.
We were greeted on that cold and rainy November day by the owner. A very young man who very obviously loved knives. He was very knowledgeable and proud of his collection. Many of the knives are designed with him by Japanese artisans for the store. ┬ĀThe prices were staggering $300 to $1,500 or more. One look. One touch. One try and you knew why.
We dumped our lowly knives on the counter. He smiled. And lovingly took each one in his hand. Rather than trying to sell us on new – and trust me Michael and I can be persuaded on these kinds of things – he estimated how much it would cost to sharpen our knives. It was a lot, probably the price of one of the original knives, but what's a cook without a knife, and we'd get our 5 knives back 'better than new'.
A week later we come back to see how our humble patients had done. The owner, who by the way I now know is Guillaume de L'Ilse [see here for more on him, his knives and his store], welcomed us warmly and disappeared into the back of the store. ┬ĀHe returned a few minutes later with a small package wrapped like a beautiful gift in a colourful tea towel: our knives. ┬ĀHe gently unrolled the towel and presented each knife to us now gleaming and sharp. He was right they were 'better than new'.
That was over two years ago.
Very rarely a customer experiences is just so right that you are somehow deeply touched by them. This was one. Thanks Guillaume.
Worth considering what it was about this experience that turned knife sharpening into such a memorable moment.
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A series of transactions does not a relationship make
re┬Ęla┬Ętion┬Ęship┬Ā Noun.┬Ā┬Ā1. The way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected.
trans┬Ęac┬Ętion┬Ā ┬Ā ┬ĀNoun. 1. An instance of buying or selling something, a business deal. ┬Ā2. The action of conducting business.
In the world of branding, the holy grail is the customer relationship. But for most organizations that relationship falls short. Why? Well because it's not a relationship at all. ┬ĀAt best it's a series of transactions. At worst it's a single transaction.
As long as the last transaction went well from the customer point of view they'll probably be back. Or, in the case or banks or telecoms, even if the transaction doesn't go well the cost of getting out of the 'relationship' is too high to move. I've actually consulted to an organization that had a strategy around inertia. ┬ĀOh dear!
So, what's the difference? ┬ĀWhen does a transaction or a series of transactions turn into a relationship.
Well, for me, at least, it's when it's personal. ┬ĀAnd, by that I don't mean the overly friendly and creepy call with the aforementioned bank or telecom where they start calling you by your first name or remembering your birthday.
In marketing and internal communications in particular we act as if we can build trust and loyalty on a series of transactions. ┬ĀI guess if your selling a commodity or a simple product you could think that. There are some branded products I just love. ┬ĀIt will take a lot for me to change. They are on the shelf where I shop, they cost about the same as the competition [or maybe even a little more] and they do what they are supposed to do every time.
But don't mistake that for a relationship. ┬ĀThe first time I don't get what I expect I will leave and I won't look back. Your customers are the same.
Complex products and services are a little different. There will need to be a person-to-person interaction at some point in the customer experience – whether it's at point of purchase or some time later. And that's where the potential for relationship happens. And smart companies – like Apple – make sure those interactions are "genius".
Brand loyalty, can develop when when time after time you experience the brand through empathetic and effective [it must be both] professionals. But, even this is not a relationship to the brand. At best it's a relationship with your employee or a series of employees.
So, any of you who are out there trying to develop customer relationships with your Brand, you're missing something pretty fundamental.
Your customers, if they are building relationships, are building them with your employees.
You can't have one without the other.
The brands that forget this do so at there peril.
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Culture + chemistry
What makes some environments platforms for personal and professional success? What makes other environments platforms for certain failure no matter how great the job is? ┬ĀThe answer: Culture and chemistry.
In the past couple of years, I've heard story after story of clients hiring execs that end badly and execs making big career changes that end badly. I just read┬Āthis piece┬Āby Daniel Rosensweig about his best career mistake that got me thinking.
Even the best job ┬Ādescription and pay and benefits package in the world aren't going to make up for a failure to find a match in culture and chemistry. ┬ĀIt's very personal.
Some people will thrive in a toxic culture with adequate chemistry.
Others will die.
It's what happens when executive search firms, hiring execs and candidates focus on matching the level, size, scope, role of the job and the pay check to the skills and experience.
On paper it all looks good, but once the candidate is on the job it unravels.
The job may or may not be the dream job. ┬ĀIt just needs to be adequate. ┬ĀBut if the culture and chemistry aren't right even the best job in the world is doomed to failure.
Don't underestimate the power of chemistry!
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Building an ethical compass in your organization
The ethical compass. ┬ĀIt's elusive. ┬ĀAll to often organizations faced with moral and ethical issues get focused on compliance. We're pretty good at crafting codes of conduct and business conduct. ┬ĀIt's big business…
We can learn from the past. ┬ĀDid you know that Catherine the Great had a code of conduct┬Āfor her court?
We can learn from each other. ┬ĀCheck out this┬Ācomparison of codes of conduct for British Petroleum and the Canadian Armed Forces.
We communicate them and an the related policies and programs [whistleblower hotlines, amnesty programs, etc]. ┬ĀWhy?
Well, it could be the┬Ādiscrepancy between the espoused behaviour and reality.┬ĀIt's got to be more than the┬Ā"tone from the top".
- Sucky values suck! My take on a poll on employees' lack of trust in leadership.
- After 168 years what changed?┬ĀA look at the events that led to the closing of News of the World.
- From the inside looking out. When the reality and the myth collide at Dell and Apple
Or, ┬Āit could be the failure to recognize that:┬Ā"… the ethical pressures are the same in North America as they are in difficult regions in Latin and South America, North Africa and easter Europe."┬Ā[see:┬ĀGetting back to basics. Who? Why?]
Or… ┬Āit could be, as a philosopher I heard a few years ago [and now can't find] said, that we're taking the focus off of where it should be – individual responsibility and values.
I was reminded of this today in an article about SNC-Lavalin's challenge in building back its reputation after a series of bribery and corruption charges. ┬Ā "The challenge is to ensure employees can respond positively to four questions:
- Is this what you're doing right for the company?
- Is it consistent with the company's core values?
- Is it both legal and ethical?
- Are you willing to be held accountable for your actions?"
What do you think? ┬ĀShould we be spending more of our time on developing understanding around these 4 questions than on communicating codes of conduct, policies, and procedures? ┬ĀIs this the ethical compass we've been searching for?
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"Trouble at mill?"
I write a lot – ┬Āwell over 200 blog posts [here and elsewhere], regular posts on LinkedIn discussion groups and 1,000s of working papers and discussion pieces for clients – and I'm sometimes frustrated by the limits of the English language. ┬ĀHow do you write plainly, crisply and still have the language reflect fresh thinking?
This week I was reminded that English is a living language. Constantly evolving. ┬ĀJust listen to Prince William outside the doors of St Mary's Hospital earlier this week and hear him say:
"I'll remind him of his tardiness when he's a bit older. I know how long┬Āyou've all been sat here."
What? ┬ĀI couldn't believe my ears. Grammatically incorrect and charming colloquial English at it's absolute best, spoken by the future King of England.
I know this phrasing well thanks to my family in Yorkshire and favourite characters on Corrie. ┬ĀAnd for decades if not centuries, it's been commonly used in the north of England. Unique. And, that's where it's stayed. ┬ĀBut, now it's been used publicly ┬Āby a key member of the English┬Āstiff upper lip class and heard around the world. Are we on the verge of hearing this in fashionable circles everywhere? ┬ĀAnd from there to a neighbourhood near you.
English may have its limits, but it is a living language. ┬ĀSocial media is increasing the pace of change. ┬ĀFor someone who spends much of their life writing, that's a very exciting thing.
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Slow down. You move too fast…
This past weekend Michael and I headed up to Mount Royal. What was unusual was that we'd started off late, so by the time we'd gotten up to the mountain it was so hot and humid running was just out of the question. So we did a nice long chiwalk instead.
At one point we started noticing things. ┬ĀDifferent things. ┬ĀThe woods went from a mass of green to bursting with the colour of wildflowers — wild roses, morning glories, yellow daisies, Queen Anne's lace, columbine. ┬ĀThe more we looked the more we saw. ┬ĀThings we hadn't seen just a few days before.
What had changed? ┬ĀWe'd slowed down.
Another reminder that slowing down is a good thing.
And since, I know many of you are beginning to gear up for your annual planning, take a deep relaxing breath, slow down, and look. Look from different perspectives but especially from your customers' and your employees'. You my be amazed by what you see and the different opportunities you uncover.


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Ave Maria University begins its first season of baseball this year, under the leadership of Shawn Summe (soo-mee), a former head coach of Judson College in Elgin, Illinois. If the past truly is prologue, the AMU Gyrenes have a lot of good things to anticipate. In his first season at the helm of Judson, the Eagles set 12 offensive records.
This season Coach Summe will field a 25-man roster of 9 pitchers, 3 catchers, and 13 position players. But, remember, this is college baseball. "We hope to expand our pitching staff to between 12 and 15 arms," he states. "A lot of our pitchers double as position players. "
The ace of the AMU staff is right-hander Justin James. At 6'1", 200 pounds, he's small as pitchers go these days. But he sports a thoroughbred athletic bloodline; his parents are the former Mr. & Mrs. California, with dad Gerry an accomplished weightlifter and golf long-driving champ.
With weekend schedules that are a mix of single games and double-headers, availability will determine the makeup of the team's relief core.
Definitely, centerfielder Chris Suchomski (the team's only senior), has the best glove on the team, with good coverage capability aided by a "very adequate" arm. The Gyrenes' infield is solid, with junior second baseman Brian Trymbliski – a transfer from Pitt – the unofficial leader.
With over half of AMU's roster (13) consisting of freshmen, Coach Summe has a nucleus on which to build and improve the Gyrenes over the next four years. And that coincides with his overall goal for the team, "…to improve both the team and the game of baseball every day."
AMU currently is an NAIA independent, with plans to join the Sun Conference next season.


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The Capital Market Authority (CMA) announced yesterday that it is reducing commissions on stock trades by 20 percent, effective June 17. The minimum commission for trades of SR 10,000 [$2,666] or less will be SR 12 [$3.2].
The CMA also announced that the trading week of the Kingdom's stock exchange, the Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI), would be reduced from 6 to five days beginning June 15.
Analysts welcomed the lower commissions as another positive step to boost investor confidence and increase the volume of trading, the Arab News reported today.
"The reduction in costs will encourage more investors to enter the market," Faisal Al-Sayrafi, president and CEO of Financial Transaction House, said, as quoted in the Arab News. "All developed stock markets close on weekends, so this is normal."
Said Al-Shaikh, a senior economist for the National Commercial Bank, told the Arab News that an increase in trade volume caused by the fee reduction should offset the loss in banks' transaction revenues.


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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – UAB (19-7) plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth and held off a scrappy late-inning effort from the Mississippi State softball team (20-10) as the Bulldogs fell by a narrow 2-1 margin Tuesday night at the UAB Softball Field. The loss snapped MSU's 13-game non-conference winning streak, which tied for the third longest such streak in school history.
"Timely hitting is what it is all about, and UAB had some great timely hitting with two runs in the bottom of the fifth," Head Coach Vann Stuedeman said. "We just fell a little bit short tonight."
The junior trio of Sam Lenahan (1-for-3, RBI), Logan Foulks (1-for-2, walk) and Heidi Shape (1-for-3) collected the hits for the Maroon and White, while sophomore Swayze Hollenhead was responsible for the Bulldogs' only run.
Earning the starting assignment, junior Alison Owen went 4.2 innings, falling to 10-4 on the year after giving up two runs on five hits and a walk. Senior southpaw Stephanie Becker closed out the game for MSU with 1.1 hitless innings. The Blazers' Lannah Campbell (5-1) picked up the win with 10 strikeouts in a complete-game effort.
Deadlocked in a scoreless tie heading to the bottom of the fifth, the home team started a two-out rally when nine-hole hitter Amy Dennis singled to the gap in right field. Moving to the top of the Blazers' lineup, Caitlin Attfield followed up with a single to put two on the bags. The Green and Gold broke the scoreless drought with an RBI single to center, and then added another run with an infield RBI single to the five-six hole by Whitney Fletcher.
The Bulldogs barked back in the top of the sixth, starting a two-out rally of their own. With two gone, Hollenhead pinch hit for senior Shelby Fisher and drew a four-pitch base on balls. Hollenhead scored all the way from first thanks to an RBI double down the right-field line courtesy of Lenahan. Lenahan was stranded in scoring position to end the inning when Foulks struck out looking.
"Swayze had an incredible pinch hit and Sam responded with a great barrel down the right-field line," Stuedeman explained. "I loved the way we responded after UAB scored its first two runs."
State had one last chance in the seventh when senior Jessica Cooley led off the final frame with a walk. The Birmingham, Ala., native sprinted to second on a groundout to the right side by Shape. With the tying run in scoring position, Campbell retired pinch hitter Briana Bell and sophomore third baseman Julia Echols to end the game.
Starkville's Team returns to SEC play this weekend for a three-game series against SEC West rival Auburn. The Tigers take on the Bulldogs Friday at 6 p.m., before wrapping up the series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday. Admission is free for those that can attend, but for those that cannot, live video and audio streaming of the series will be available online to HailStateTV subscribers (www.HailState.com/hstvlive).
For live in-game updates of MSU's weekend series, follow the program on Twitter at @MStateSB. For pictures, like the team on Facebook at Facebook.com/MStateSB and visit the team's Instagram account at MStateSB. For pregame and postgame video, check out MSU's official YouTube channel at YouTube.com/HailState.


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Flower Power @ lilteacher.com
School bulletin boards are an effective means of teaching and displaying Flower Garden: Box Animals: Feed Store: Sense of Smell: Sense of Taste: A Great Catch Students build fine motor skills while creating flowers for a spring bulletin board or Mother's Day gift — a perfect addition to a multi-disciplinary garden theme unit! Garden Of Good Manners Mini Bulletin Board Set Includes 6 flowers, 16 bugs, and 2 banner titles to create a garden of good manners.
Garden Of Good Manners Mini Bulletin Board Set
Save on the Carson-Dellosa Bulletin Board Set – Flower Garden. Prices range from $10 – $20. View product information, compare prices, and read reviews. Make a country spring seen on your bulletin board (picket fence, flower, and grass) Then have each of your children design their own spring clothes on Flower Color Garden Science/Art Activity In this activity children will learn this beading technique and make this daisy design. Flower Bulletin Boards
Blooming Flowers Bulletin Board Set (Dj-610049) Dj Inkers / Carson
TeachersParadise.com was founded in 1999 with the goal of becoming the premiere destination for online teacher supplies. Since then, we've become much more than just Create a back-to-school garden full of topics that you will cover Use tissue paper to make 3D flowers for a colorful spring bulletin board. tissue paper image by SMILING FLOWERS Submitted by: Stephanie [Stephanie is a teacher, from Use photos of your students to decorate this fun, floral inspired bulletin board.
Smiling Flowers Bulletin Board Decorating Idea – KinderArt
I am also thinking about doing a garden theme for school and I am going to put those next to flowers with a title "Budding Scholars". I will also have a bulletin board Bulletin Board Flowers Directions Four different patterns for the flowers have been provided, as well as patterns for a leaf. When my class makes these flowers, I Sun Flower Seeds . Bulletin Boards "Growing a Garden of Artists!" -Put this caption up on a bulletin Board that displays children's art.
Flowers/Gardening- Preschool Themes- 2care2teach4kids
This colorful, flower-themed bulletin board set includes: A sun (approx. 13" x 13") 15 flowers 8 ladybugs 6 bees 4 butterflies A resource guide Illustrations Flowers, Garden Decorative cute push pins for cork bulletin boards of sunflowers, roses, daisies, tulips and combinations of flowers in wood, resin and plastic. You Rainbow of Flowers Bulletin Board to-School Headquarters to find tips for new teachers, ice breakers, bulletin board
How to Decorate a Easter Bulletin Board | Garden Guides
Make a cheerful spring bulletin board with these spring crafts. Combine easy to make willows, blossom branches and daffodils into a spring flower garden. Enliven your classroom with this dazzling display of Poppin' Patterns posies! This versatile set features a large flower with blank write-on banner (13½" x 17½ Bulletin Board Grow a Good Book. Print covers of flower picture books in color from Amazon.com. Create a garden, and insert the book covers so that they are part
Flower Garden Bulletin Board Set – Scholar's Choice Teachers Store
TRIMMER ALL ROUND FLOWER GARDEN Trimmers provide the perfect accent to your bulletin boards. Twelve colorful 3" x 39 Watch Our Reading Garden Grow! Grades Any You can print the necessary patterns for the bulletin board below. Students attach their flower to the bulletin board Try using this poem for a spring bulletin board. Flower Power Flowers, flowers and more vegetables; so that it does not look like a particular vegetable garden
How to Decorate your Bulletin Board for Spring | General Arts
Garden-themed bulletin boards can run the gamut of spring through winter, with colorful flowers appropriate for each season included as part of the scene. Your garden If you are looking for ways to add interest to your Bulletin Boards, this is an instructional video for teachers or anyone wanting to create 3 Dimensional Liven up a boring bulletin board by gluing dried or fake flowers around the Article provided by eHow Home Garden | How to Decorate a Easter Bulletin Board
Spring Bulletin Board Ideas
We found these vibrant word family flower printables from Annie at The Moffatt Girls {via Preschool Printables} and couldn't help creating our own interactive Carson Dellosa DJ Inkers Bulletin Board Set Flower Garden, Decorative garden set includes a sun – approximately 13 x 13, Teacher resource guide offers fun activities Use these to create a garden or to complete the life cycle of a flower. You could alternatively use the flowers to create a bulletin board entitled, "Watch Me
Flowers Gardening – Push Pins and Fabric Cork Boards
Have your children make large flowers. Put the child's picture inside their flower. Then make rain drops with different things that children need to If your spring decor is looking a little drab, consider using this colorful flower and butterfly bulletin board idea we found at McKinley Early Childhood Gardens are fascinating places, full of either flowers or food and sometimes both! Children always enjoy them and are amazed at the things you can, James Johnson
Bulletin Board Flowers
Plant a beautiful Flower Garden in your classroom with this Bulletin Board Set. This set from D.J. Inkers includes 15 flowers is a variety of sizes and shapes and one Blooming Flowers Bulletin Board Set (Dj-610049) Features Large Flower, Medium Flowers, Small Flowers, Butterflies, Flower Pots. Dj Inkers / Carson Dellosa If you're looking for bulletin boards for specific themes farm unit, so the door depicts a garden and other stuff, added flowers, eggs
ProTeacher! Seasonal and holiday lesson plans and activities for
Cover the bulletin board with the butcher paper. Show students pictures from the Garden Flowers Coloring Book and ask them to observe the different petal, leaf, and stem Bulletin Boards and Displays; Alphabet Antics; Math Magic; Traveling Bags; Holiday Fran's Flower by Lisa Bruce. Flower Garden by Eve Bunting. Sunflower House by Eve Bunting On a chart or on the board, record the names of flowers and the colors they can be. Tell children that they are going to make a paper, flower garden on the bulletin


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Ireland from Dublin to the Atlantic Coast
from Dublin to the Atlantic Coast
Maik Masouris
The island of Ireland has fascinating cultural heritage and breathtaking landscapes waiting
to be discovered.
This book gives a good taste all these.
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amid the Chinese michael masouris
Published June 01, 2013
inland iceland
Published October 01, 2010
Published December 03, 2008
London Calling
Published August 28, 2008
a trip around Western Balkans
Published August 27, 2008
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Episode 1. Who Am I?
What a day! We have had at last, what Dr. Franklin called our "interesting conversation." Interesting! How could he call it just that? It was phenomenal! It was earthshaking! I'm still shaking as I write. But I want to set it down while I remember every word.
— "Sit down, Temple," he began. "I have the impression these last few days that you want to ask me something but can't quite bring yourself to do it. Am I right?"
— "Yes, Sir."
— "What is it?"
— "Could you tell me, Sir, why I am on this packetboat with you? You always said how important it is for me to finish my studies, but here we are in the middle of the school year and in the middle of the sea. Why take me to the colonies? I don't understand, Sir ..."
— "Tempy," he said — he sometimes called me that — "you don't have to call me Sir anymore." A long pause. "Just call me Grandfather." Another pause. "I am your grandfather, my boy."
What was I supposed to say now? Or do? Throw myself into his arms? I was petrified. I said nothing. I did nothing. I stared at my shoes.
"You are the son of my son William, the Royal Governor of New Jersey." More stupefied silence from the son of the governor. "You remember me mentioning my son, don't you?"
Of course, I remember. Sometimes he sounded very proud of his son and sometimes he grumbled about his son's spending habits. Extravagant spending, he would tell Mrs. Stevenson, who nodded. He was not always in a good mood after receiving a letter from his son the governor.
— "Have you lost your tongue, Billy?"
Not only my tongue, all of me was lost in a haze. The governor, I knew, had a wife named Elizabeth. She had to be my mother. Would she once, just once, tuck me in bed? So I would know what it feels like and stop thinking about it. Would she bend over and kiss me?
— "And my mother, Sir, does she live in New Jersey?"
— "No, Billy. If she is alive she must be in England. I don't know. It's up to your father to tell you about that. I'll only say that your mother, unfortunately, was not the kind of woman that one marries."
I know he saw my disappointment, but he just continued.
— "Now let me tell you about all the relatives you are going to meet once we land. Lucky boy that you are, not only will you become a Franklin, William Temple Franklin, but you will be the only young man in the entire family to bear the name. Your father and his wife, you see, have not had a child of their own all these years, and they want you as their lawful heir..."
I stopped listening. I know what he means by the kind of woman one does not marry. When Caldwell and I slipped out of school by a back window in the evening and walked the streets of London, we would see those women standing under lampposts. There was so much fog at times that you could not even see them but you could hear their voices, raspy, warm and tempting. We hastened to walk on and looked the other way, but I remember the voices and how these women coughed. My mother may have been one of them, wrapped in fog.
— "You look sad, my boy," said the old gentleman who is my grandfather. "You have no reason to be sad. Your father is most impatient to see you. Your stepmother, Elizabeth, will smother you in endearments and pastries. My daughter, your aunt Sally, will be her warm and joyous self, I'm sure, and her boys Benny and Willy, your little cousins, can you imagine how they will look up to you?"
All I could do in response was sigh. Was she alive or dead, my mother? I would never know. Would anyone care beside myself?
— "You're almost a man, Billy" he said. "It is time to look to the future. You've had an excellent education so far, and your future, if you apply yourself, is brilliant. As brilliant as that of the country we are sailing to, if the colonies have the foresight to pull together and forge their own destiny. You may ask me one more question, Temple, and then we both go to bed.
— "Who else knows about who I am, and who does not?"
— "That's simple. Your father, the headmaster and myself, we know. Nobody else. Not even Mrs. Stevenson and Polly."
— "And my grandmother, your wife Deborah, who just died? She knew, of course?"
— "No, she did not."
— "How is that possible?"
— "Because I never told her."
— "You never told her about me? Why not?"
— "Not to upset her. Family life, Billy, is not always as simple as you might imagine. Some day you'll understand all that. All I want to say now is that ever since I have come to know you, you have been a crucial part of my life. Walking beside the little boy that you were, looking down at your upturned face that reminded me of William's at your age, feeling your tiny hand resting trustfully in my big hand, that's what gave me the courage to keep working at the arduous mission I have been entrusted with."
"How else could I have endured the accusation in America, of being too British and in England, of being too American? How else could I have endured, in my solitude, the charming descriptions my Deborah gave of our other grandson, the Philadelphia one, the one she called Kingbird, the Benny, whom I have never seen? Without you at my side I would have returned home, a defeated man. With you at my side I return home, defeated, to be sure, my hopes for accommodation with England dashed, but still full of hope. You are my flesh and blood, and my strength."
After that, how could I refuse to read the heavy manuscript he thrust into my hands with a request for comments?


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We arrived home from our Mexico vacation just a couple of days ago, and I'm happy to report that we all did quite well. We live in Colorado, a very dry state, so being 32 weeks pregnant, the humidity got to me a bit. I was able to actually sleep, despite being in a bed that wasn't mine, and I was able to eat a ton.
I watched C grow up quite a bit last week. I love watching her grow and learn new things, but it can be very bittersweet to watch as well. She learned some new words all on her own. She watched birds fly overhead, and correctly identified them as "berds." She watched boats, or sunrises, or flowers and would say "WOW" with all of the enthusiasm of someone seeing them for the first time. She learned how to use a tea set with her Nana, (my parents were there with us.) She also played on the beach for the first time, wiggling her toes in the sand, and letting the waves splash over her feet and legs.
I'm so happy that she is learning all of these things, and trying to do things on her own without asking for my help, but it makes me sad at the same time. I still remember the day when she reached up and grabbed a toy for the first time, or watching her struggle to roll over, or the very first time she tried solids. Now I watch as she stacks blocks and serves me "tea". I watch as she runs around the room, or down the beach, or daringly wades into a pool. I watch as she eats any food we put in front of her, regardless of whether it is hummus, or local Mexican fare, or watching her enjoy a bowl of ice cream with one of her Grandparents.
It's all happening so fast, just like everyone said it would. I'm getting a bit teary eyed writing this, knowing that I'll never watch her learn these things ever again, knowing that as she gets older, she'll need me less and less to help her with everything. I wish I hadn't wasted energy wishing her to be older so that she could do this, or that, and just fully enjoyed each moment of her.
On that note, I think I'll go and enjoy watching her try to walk around the living room while she wears my shoes…
Is watching your child grow up bittersweet for you?
Photo credit: Jenni Buckley – C riding on the airport shuttle bus with Daddy. She looks so old!


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I recently wrote a cover story for our Arts in LA quarterly publication about an Israeli who hosts a Chinese performing arts show, so naturally, when the show came to the brand new Nokia Theatre in downtown, I requested tickets.
From the website's descriptions and all the press materials I received, the "Chinese New Year Spectacular" promised to be an extravagant display of song and dance representing the glory of ancient Chinese culture.
Here's an alluring tidbit from the show's website:
"The splendor and beauty of the east will be majestically brought to life as New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV) presents the 2008 "Chinese New Year Spectacular." Listed as a "Top Ten" show in North America by Billboard Magazine and rated by the New York Times as "the best Chinese Show of the Year", the Chinese New Year Spectacular will take audiences of all ages on a magical journey back to China's treasured Golden Age when the Chinese culture is free from the communist influence."
The photos were stunning:
In short, I walked into the theater with high expectations.
My first disappointment actually came days before the show - the Israeli I profiled in my article was not hosting that night's show. Leeshai Lemish emailed me that week to let me know that he had been sent to Toronto to host the company's show there. In his place was a nicely rehearsed, well-dressed, not too exciting Chinese host.
The show, though beautiful in many respects, was quite honestly less than spectacular. I had to elbow my fiance awake several times and I spotted more than a couple of heads nestled comfortably on the shoulder of their date. Neither was the huge theater - modern and impressive - near capacity on the show's second night in town.
I'm not saying the show was bad. The dancers were incredibly elegant and poised. The costumes richly decorated and brightly colored. The music soothing. The production flawlessly executed.
It was just very mellow. Maybe too mellow for a Los Angeles audience accustomed to the breathtaking acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil, the no-expense-spared production of "Wicked" and the splashy Justin Timberlake concerts next door at the Staples Center.
Despite the lack of fireworks, I enjoyed the show. But I don't think it would be everyone's cup of tea.
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Who is Earl Sweatpants?: A Primer For Christian Parents
By Mark E. Figs
(Earl Sweatpants on the left, upset that he has to be the "bottom" or receiver of penis, for Tyler the Creator, AGAIN)
I really wish I didn't have to do this. I really wish I didn't have to write ANOTHER article exposing the recklessness of young Negros. About their immoral decisions. About their penchant to abuse welfare and God's design for sexual intercourse. About their willingness to openly talk about drugs and drunkenness. But recent events have me spooked. The events in question — confiscating 4(!!) CD's of secular rap kingpin Earl Sweatpants from the rapping group, "Odd Future Gang, Wolf's Kill Them All" or OFWGKTA.
Four CD's. Four beautiful young Christian boys in my daycare smuggled into the ungodly filth smut peddled by Satanic bisexual Tyler, The Creator (blasphemy, God's sad, he's evil etc) and his merry gang of bisexual skateboard twerps. These group of sodomizers make frequent references to hating God in their raps. They promote Devilish imagery with there elementary knowledge of Photoshop. They use "personal photographers" to document their every move and paste it on Tumblr — a safe harbor for rudimentary teen angst and immoral behavior.
There's no doubt you should keep your child away from Tyler, the Creator lest you want your child to grow into an immature, obnoxious sinner with a limited skill-set and unquenchable thirst for "random edginess"; an attribute often misattributed as "hilarious." BUT what about his love-partner, and object of affection, Earl Sweatpants?
What's Earl Sweatpants' deal? I'll tell you his deal, in shocking and graphic detail.
1. Earl Sweatpants is an immigrant —
Earl Sweatpants immigrated here from Africa at a very young age. Despite this, he still retains his Bushland features, and often times brags about this in his raps (Big lipped Bast**d) He is full of hatred, for America and Christ. His Negro heart pumps foul with the blood of Satan himself, as he carries all the traits of Ham. His Negro heart is full of the same hatred that currently runs through Barack Obama, and it is no surprise that Earl identifies as a Obama supporter. They share the same Negro hatred for all things Christ.
2. Earl Sweatpants is a Homo —
Earl Sweatpants is Tyler the Creator's unofficial boyfriend. They often brag about the illicit and immoral sex they have with one another on their tour bus. They encourage all of their young "Swag" (Which stands for "Sucking Weiners All Gay") fans to make out with one another and do gross Satan sex stuff in their parents homes. During Earl Sweatpant's imprisonment (see point 3) Tyler often longed for Earl's "sweet, passionate touch" and would take to Twitter to boast about how "Earl Sweatpants" would "bottom him" once he got home from prison.
3. Earl Sweatpants is a convicted felon.
Earl Sweatpants was sent to prison in New Zealend by his amazing mother for his vulgar actions. Earl's mom wanted him to stop embracing a lifestyle of "buttsex" and "rapping" and get a better chance at life. Earl Sweatpants went away for a whole year, much to the chagrin of his worthless, pot-smoking, skateboarding, uber-talented friends. While Odd Future group strengthened their grasp at achieving SIXTEEN minutes of fame, Earl Sweatpants languished in Samoa, being roughhoused by muscular, beefy Samoan men. Tyler the Creator often took to Twitter to decry this separation. boasting about Earl Sweatpant's imminent takeover of the rap game once he was released.
4. Earl Sweatpants is an atheist —
Earl Sweatpants hates God. Earl Sweatpants wants to lead your children down a path of rape, torture and Satanism. He boasts about his Satanism and lack of respect for adults, God, society etc. This is troublesome because it resonates VERY well with misguided, angsty teenagers who have nothing better to do than swallow his load of rebelliousness and accept it as some passionate, declarative truth. Instead of worshiping Christ, these "Swag" teens blindly follow a group of skateboarders who struck mainstream gold by appealing to a wide enough majority of pathetically sad individuals.
5. Earl is Earl Sweatpants
Everything about him is evil. His demeanor, his relationships, his raps. Earl Sweatpants is BAD NEWS and will make your child revolt from Biblical teachings and do curse words online. They will lose their sense of modest, humble dress attire and begin to adorn themselves with crappily designed, over priced t-shirts by "Diamond Co" or "The Hundreds." They will abandon dreams of occupying the pulpit and the pew and instead focus on skateboarding and referring to their group of untalented, underachieving friends as a "collective." They will live each day, not trying to memorize scripture, but memorizing lyrics featuring monosyllabic rhymes and crappy, re-hashed "shocking" subject matter.
Worst of all, they will put "OFWGKTA" in their internet names, as if it doesn't make them look like dull conformists, unaware of the nature of fads, and the ridiculousness of their suburban identity trying so desperately to appear urban.
Don't let your child listen to Earl Sweatpants. He is sinful in nature and can only lead your child down a path of wickedness, deceit and hatred.
Mark E. Figs is an accomplished singer, songwriter and screenwriter for CountryMusicTelevision. He was recently named Newsweek's "Top Twitter User to Watch." He collects Native American thongs and lives in Chicago with his pet dog, Jesus.
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