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880P movement
The 880P movement is one of thinnest chronograph movements ever made, with a thickness of only 5.6 mm. The chronograph is one of the major watchmaking complications and, among the small number that are made; the 880P is distinguished by its flyback, a high-precision function enabling the chronograph to be reset without interrupting its running. With a single press, the small minutes hand and the central seconds hand "fly back" to zero and immediately start a new timing cycle. The 880P movement is fitted with two barrels, a balance with screws, balance stop and oscillating weight decorated with the Piaget coat-of-arms. Another feature is the 24-hour second time zone indication at 9 o'clock. The chronograph is controlled by a column wheel coordinating all its phases, and by a vertical coupling clutch which ensures that it is extremely precise. The superimposed faces of the two discs that form the clutch are directly driven to avoid causing the hands to jump and waste energy from the power reserve. Finally, it runs at a higher frequency for increased precision. Circular Côtes de Genève, a circular-grained mainplate, bevelled bridges, blued screws and an oscillating weight engraved with the Piaget coat-of-arms add the finishing touches to this movement and are reminders of the Swiss watchmaking brand's high aesthetic values.
Shape: Round
Functions: Flyback chronograph, Second time zone at 9 o'clock (24 hours), Date at 12 o'clock, Hours, Minutes, Minutes counter at 3 o'clock (30 minutes), Small seconds at 6 o'clock
Technical features: Column wheel, Vertical coupling clutch, Double barrel, Balance with screws, Balance stop
Power reserve (in hours): Approx. 50
Frequency (vph): 28,800
Frequency (Hz): 4
Diameter (lines): 12.00
Diameter (mm): 27
Number of jewels: 35
Thickness (mm): 5.6
Number of components: 277
Finishing: Blued screws, Circular Côtes de Genève, Circular-grained mainplate, Bevelled bridges, Oscillating weight engraved with the Piaget coat of arms
*Piaget luxury watches and jewellery are individually produced and thus the weight and carats of each product can vary from the displayed data.


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Lead poisoning test
This test measures the levels of lead in your blood.
High levels of lead can be toxic. Complications include abdominal pain, constipation, a decline in thinking, and high blood pressure. Lead exposure can also cause reproductive problems. Women with high lead levels are more likely to have stillbirths or give birth to infants with lead poisoning, and men may have low sperm counts or abnormal sperm.
You may be exposed to lead through your work. Painting, battery manufacturing, and lead and zinc ore mining are a few occupations where lead poisoning has been reported. Although workplace hazards account for most cases of lead exposure, you can also come in contact with lead if your home has lead-based paint or you use lead-glazed dishes or cookware.
You may need this test if your doctor suspects that you have lead poisoning. Symptoms include:
Memory loss
In several cases, symptoms include loss of consciousness and seizures.
Your doctor may also order other tests to find out whether you have dangerous levels of lead in your body. One such test is an X-ray fluorescence test to measure the level of lead in your bones.
Many things may affect your lab test results. These include the method each lab uses to do the test. Even if your test results are different from the normal value, you may not have a problem. To learn what the results mean for you, talk with your health care provider.
Results are given in micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL). Blood levels are considered high in adults when they are at least 25 mcg/dL.
If your results are high, it means you may have lead poisoning.
The test requires a blood sample, which is drawn through a needle from a vein in your arm.
Taking a blood sample with a needle carries risks that include bleeding, infection, bruising, or feeling dizzy. When the needle pricks your arm, you may feel a slight stinging sensation or pain. Afterward, the site may be slightly sore.
Other factors aren't likely to affect your results.
You don't need to prepare for this test. But be sure your doctor knows about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. This includes medicines that don't need a prescription and any illicit drugs you may use.

subset: commoncrawl


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PepsiCo's Peter Land Joins AOL To Lead Corporate Communications
Apr 11, 2013
Today I'm pleased to share that we have appointed Peter Land as Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications. In this role Peter will develop and oversee AOL's global external and internal corporate communications strategies and work with AOL's brands to drive their respective communications efforts. He'll also work in concert with our investor relations, government affairs and public policy groups. As a member of the company's leadership team, Peter will be based in New York and report to me.
With more than 25 years of senior level communications experience working for several of the world's leading media companies and brands, Peter's ability to navigate the dynamic media and digital environments, develop and manage teams worldwide and work strategically and effectively in both the consumer marketing and corporate reputation arenas will make him a critically important member of our leadership team. He has managed multi-faceted, multi-stakeholder efforts on a global stage, which will become more and more important to AOL as we continue to grow.
Peter joins AOL from PepsiCo, where he served in a number of senior leadership roles – most recently overseeing global media strategy, financial communications and issues management. He joined PepsiCo in 2009 to oversee communications for the PepsiCo America Beverages division and manage the company's corporate digital strategy. Before joining PepsiCo, he was a global managing director of Edelman. He was Director of Marketing Communications for the NBA and worked for Kraft Foods in London as Director of European Promotions. He began his career as a sportswriter for the Washington Post and earned a B.A. from Duke University. He is an adjunct professor at NYU's Stern School of Business.
PepsiCo's Peter Land joins @aol to lead Corporate Communications aol.it/11YVCma
- AOL PR (@AOLPR) April 11, 2013


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JETS Consolidation Service works to provide faster, more reliable delivery of non-domestic journals for our customers worldwide. JETS can handle a customer's entire serials collection and provide a complete outsourcing solution for journal fulfillment. Valuable staff time and actual costs can be saved by using JETS due to the comprehensive services we provide – in addition to timely and intact receipt of journals on order.
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I paid for 8 sessions (Which I haven't started yet) with this new coach that I'm backing out of now because I don't like her attitude, she's really horrible.
Do you think it is my right to transfer the payment to another coach?
I paid for 8 sessions (Which I haven't started yet) with this new coach that I'm backing out of now because I don't like her attitude, she's really horrible.
Do you think it is my right to transfer the payment to another coach?
It depends on what agreements were made with the coach when you agreed to take lessons from her. It's unusual to pay for lessons upfront, but not unheard of. If you haven't actually had any of the lessons, you are probably entitled to at least some of the money back, but again it depends on what you agreed to at the time you employed her initially. Most coaches have a policy on how long in advance you need to inform them of an absence to not be charged for the lesson, so some of it will depend on when these lessons were supposed to happen. There is also a matter of how you paid her. A cheque can be cancelled, but if you paid in cash you will have to approach her for a refund. I'd say ethically, she is entitled to the pay for at least the first lesson as you did initially agree to work with her, after that if you have given sufficient notice that you are terminating the agreement (usually understood to be at least 24 hours, but could be as much as a week depending on the initial agreement) you are entitled to the money for the remaining session as you never received the lessons. If you're paying through the club, that's a whole other matter, but might actually make things easier. If that's the case then inform them of your decision and they will let you know what the policy is. If it's through the club, you will probably have an easier time of it as the club tends to keep the money and then pay the coaches when they bill for the hours they have worked after the fact.
Hey, Thank you for the response Silver.blades, yes I paid it through the club which offers 8 sessions of figure skating lessons. I've already complained to the manager about her and I told her I would like to change the coach, she said it's ok. I'll make sure if the payment has been transferred to the other coach (who isn't here yet but will arrive from his vacation next week.) This new coach is temporary, I thought I'd hire her until my regular coach comes and possibly have both coach me. But this new coach seems to have an attitude that really gets on my nerves. She's abruptive, has weak communication skills, and for gods sake can't even talk english.
I myself don't think I'll be comfortable with a person like her, she's not my kind of coach.
Last edited by Xstatic; 01-22-2013 at 11:06 PM.
Sorry to hear about this experience.
I'm sure you've already gone through this, but if you are working with another coach in your coaches absence first, make sure that they are aware of the coach you are working with and that they approve them. Most coaches have no issue with their students working with other coaches and many encourage it, but there are some coaching philosophies that don't mix. This is especially important if you're planning on continuing to work with both of them. If you have multiple coaches they have to work together on some level, so it's important to make sure they're aware of each other and the others methods so they're not contradicting each other and making it more difficult for you. Plus it's just polite.
I think the OP never had a lesson with the "awful coach" and is getting lessons bankrolled through the rink. I may have misunderstood...
I'd hesitate speaking so harshly about a coach you have not had a lesson from. Instead of focusing on what you disliked about him/her from a conversation, I'd just let the skating director know it isn't a good match and have the director be the liaison between the coaches in arranging your first lesson.


text: I ran the SuSe10 HowTo, made the init.d/proftpd file, then copied my proftpd.conf from my FC4 machine to the SuSe machine. A restart got Code: server1:~ # - Fatal: unknown configuration directive 'AuthPAMConfig' on line 16 of '/etc/proftpd.conf'. I commented the 2 PAM lines out and the restart went well. I then went to my NAT and reset the Vserver from the FC4 machine IP to the SuSe10 machine IP. Can't connect to the ftp site from the web. I searched around for some possible answers first... I saw that I would probably need log files but I could not find any in /var/log ! Here is my conf though... Code: # This is the ProFTPD configuration file # $Id: proftpd.conf,v 1.1 2004/02/26 17:54:30 thias Exp $ ServerName "ProFTPD server" ServerIdent on "FTP Server ready." ServerAdmin [email protected] Thoughts on what I did wrong? Lance


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A Romantic Retreat Near the Indiana Dunes
Songbird Prairie Bed & Breakfast • Valparaiso, IN
Escape Kit
- A Two-Night Stay for Two in a Room with a Fireplace and Whirlpool
- Two Meals for Two at Two Different Restaurants of Your Choice: Bon Femme Café, Bistro 157, Restaurante don Quijote, or Meditrina.
- Daily Gourmet Breakfast for Two
Just 50 miles from the bustle of Chicago, and less than 15 miles from one of Indiana's most awe-inspiring natural wonders, Songbird Prairie Bed & Breakfast is perfectly situated for a romantic getaway that dabbles in a bit of both the great outdoors and the incredible indoors.
Get a two-night stay for two in one of four plush suites, plus dinner for two each night at your choice of restaurants: Bon Femme Café, Bistro 157, Restaurante don Quijote, or Meditrina.
Flutter past the front door and choose among the Robin, Bluebird, Cardinal, and Purplefinch Suites at the property named one of Midwest Living's favorite B&Bs and "one of the 20 perfect summer getaways" by Travel + Leisure.
All rooms have fireplaces to keep you warm and spa tubs for two to keep the temps rising. You'll wake up chirping after your first night on plush beds, and then take breakfast in the sunroom, listening to the song of the birds from the nearby woods through piped-in microphones.
Trade in your bird's-eye view of nature for one that's up close and personal when you plan a visit to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, where Karner Blue butterflies flit, swallows nest, and waves crash along the shores.
After a day in the dunes, treat yourself to a massage back at Songbird Prairie. The on-site spa offers a variety of relaxing treatments, from couples' massage to facials.
For dinner, you'll have your choice of four local restaurants. Dine on duck à l'orange at Bon Femme Café, tuck into tapas and paella at Restaurante don Quijote, explore an American twist on French and Asian cuisine at Bistro 157, or feast on classic Mediterranean dishes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients at Meditrina.
Trust us—this Escape is not just for the birds.
"Breakfasts start with plated décor of fresh-cut flowers and herbs from the garden—all to showcase glazed poached pears, fresh scones, French toast soufflé, and Bananas Barbara, a not-as-sweet take on the classic dessert and named for the owner."-- Midwest Living
escapes 30-day promise
LivingSocial gives you up to 30 days to return your unused voucher for a full refund. Once you've made a reservation, you are subject to the merchant's cancellation and refund policy. If you want to secure your preferred dates of travel, we strongly recommend that you complete reservation with the merchant within 30 days of your purchase—after that, LivingSocial will not issue any refunds.
the fine print
- Limit 1 voucher per reservation; vouchers cannot be combined to extend stay
- Reservations required; subject to availability
- Not valid on group or existing reservations
- Reservations must be made by: December 1, 2012
- Upgrades available; please inquire with merchant at time of reservation
- Must be 21 years older to check-in; valid ID required and must match name on voucher and reservation
- Merchant cancellation/re-scheduling policy of 10 days in advance of scheduled arrival; voucher subject to forfeiture
- Based upon double occupancy
- Blackout date(s): Thanksgiving 2012, Christmas 2012, and Valentine's Day 2013
- Voucher cannot be combined with any other discounts, vouchers, or gift certificates
- Sales tax and gratuity not included and will be collected at redemption
- Includes four meals at Bon Femme, Bistro 157, Don Quijote and Meditrina; valid for lunch or dinner
- All deal components must be redeemed during one stay
- Other conditions apply • PAID AND PROMOTIONAL VALUES EXPIRES ON March 29, 2013 • PAID VALUE DOES NOT EXPIRE • PAID VALUE EXPIRES ON March 29, 2018 • PROMOTIONAL VALUE EXPIRES ON March 29, 2013 • Enjoy By March 29, 2013
Other conditions apply
Except where noted in the fine print:
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The Lisa/S chip is 4 square-centimeters — about the same size as a Euro coin. But this 1.9-gram sliver of silicon includes everything you need to autopilot an aerial drone.
It's the world's smallest drone autopilot system — over 30 grams lighter than its predecessor — according to the chip's designers at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. And best of all, both the hardware and the software is open source, meaning anyone can copy and use it — for free.
"The main reason we chose open source is that we want to make it available for society," says the project's leader, Bart Remes. He envisions open source drone technology enabling a wider range of civilian drone applications, from agriculture to search and rescue.
"Before, only the military had access to this type of technology," he says. "My vision is that within a few years, every fireman [will have] a drone in his pocket."
Remes says he's been flying remote-controlled aircraft since he was six years old. About 10 years ago, as a student at Delft, he started building his own drones, attracted to the challenges of programming and electronics. It turned out that very small drones — called micro air vehicles, or MAVs — are a great way to teach aerospace engineering because they're relatively cheap, safe and easy to program.
"At university, a lot of students are working in a compute simulation and never see the real world," Remes says. "With MAVs, they get to see the real world." His student work turned into a full-time job as the head of the university's MAV Laboratory, which is responsible for projects like DelFly, a small wing-flapping drone that resembles a dragonfly.
The Lisa/S is the MAV Laboratory's latest project. The chip's software is based on Paparazzi, an open source drone autopilot system that's been around since 2003. The real innovation is the hardware. The tiny chip packs in everything you need for an autopilot system, including a gyroscope, accelerometer, altimeter, GPS, and an ARM processor — the same sort of CPU you might find in your smartphone. The Lisa/S can be used with any type of drone, from quadcopters to fixed-wing systems, Remes says.
The one limitation, he says, is that it can't provide a continuous data link to its operators. "For us, it's not a limitation, because it's autonomous," he says. "But I can understand that some people need constant data connection to the autopilot, so they'd need a slightly larger link."
The chip was designed with the help of a U.S.-based electronics company called 1Bitsquared, which will sell Lisa/S chips starting in January 2014. But since both the hardware and software is open source, Remes says any company will be able to sell chips based on the technology.Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.


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SANTA CLARA — Randy Moss could be needed more than ever Sunday at New England given the uncertain status of starting wide receiver Mario Manningham.
The timing couldn't have worked out any better in terms of plot lines for Sunday's game, given Moss' return to the stadium where he called home for three-plus seasons.
Moss said he still treasures his time with the Patriots.
"I've learned a lot from Bill Belichick," Moss said after practice Wednesday. "I've said time and time again, before I got to New England, I thought I knew a lot about football, but he taught me a lot from A to Z, and I still carry it to this day."
Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he likes what he's seen from Moss in a 49ers uniform this season.
"Randy looks like Randy," Belichick said in a conference call with Bay Area media. "He's the greatest deep-ball receiver that's ever played. Nobody runs better patterns or has a better feel for the deep part of the field like Randy Moss.
"Because of his ability to do that, it opens up other things. You have to respect his ability to go deep, stretch the field and get behind you. It's hard to take that away and defend everything else."
Moss declined to compare the Patriots and 49ers and the way the organizations are run. He made it quite obvious that he holds Belichick and the Patriots in high regard.
"The compliments are good, and I respect coach Bill Belichick and that organization still to this day," Moss said, "but hopefully we have a good game coming out Sunday night."
Moss, 35, no longer is the focal point of the offense, the way he was for the Vikings from 1998-2004, the Raiders in 2005-06 and the Patriots his first three seasons.
"He's an explosive, dynamic player," Belichick said. "He's the smartest receiver I've ever coached. He absolutely knows what he's doing, what the defense is doing."
In 2007, Moss' first with the Patriots, he set the league record for most receiving touchdowns in a season, with 23, in helping the Patriots reach the Super Bowl.
The Patriots released Moss after four games in 2010. Four games later, Moss returned to New England as a member of the Minnesota Vikings and caught one pass for 8 yards.
Moss has caught 21 passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns for the 49ers this season.
Even so, coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers rave about Moss' contributions as a blocker and locker-room presence.
Second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick said Moss always is there to pass on wisdom.
"Randy has always been great," Kaepernick said. "He's always going to tell me what he's seeing with the defense. We just have a good relationship."
Moss several times in recent games went out of his way during games to encourage Kaepernick.
"Randy's a great guy, he's a great teammate," Kaepernick said. "He's someone that everybody should try to be like, as far as in the locker room and how they are as a teammate."
Patriots receiver Wes Welker praised Moss for his ability to help the other receivers understand defenders' tendencies, what to look for and how to succeed against different defensive schemes.
"He does a great job of reading defenses," Welker said. "He knows when he's about to get the ball and he knows when to kick into high gear and get open and make plays. He really understands defenses, how they're trying to play them and how to attack them."
Moss has played on about one-third of the offensive plays this season.
With Manningham out last Sunday, Moss' playing time spiked to 51 percent of the snaps.
It's likely that Moss will get significant playing time against the Patriots, too, even if Manningham is able to play through his shoulder injury.
Moss said a pass from Colin Kaepernick against the Bears resulted in an injury that required medical assistance.
"Man, he dislocated my finger," Moss said of the laser-like throw from Kaepernick that hit off Moss' hand.
Moss said the play called for Kaepernick to find Moss in the first "hole."
"When he found me in the second hole, it was kind of too late to throw it, but he threw it anyway," Moss said. "So, he had to put one of them Randy Johnson fastballs on me. When it hit my finger, I felt my finger pop and I dislocated it."
A team doctor popped the finger back into place. Moss said his finger hurt for about a week.
· Niners linebacker Aldon Smith met first with the Patriots at the scouting combine and later visited their facility prior to the 2011 NFL draft. "
"It was a good experience," Smith said in a conference call with New England media. "There's a lot of history there, them being Super Bowl champions. The coaching staff does a good job of teaching their players. It's really just a well-built organization, and they're doing things right."
The 49ers selected Smith No. 7 overall, 10 spots ahead of where the Patriots drafted left offensive tackle Nate Solder. Smith and Solder will square off Sunday in a pivotal matchup.
"Smith has a good combination of skills," Belichick said. He's strong, he can power rush, he can run the edge and he's quick. Nate's a good player in his own right, and he's competed against a lot of good ones this year and last year. He'll be ready to go."
· Harbaugh said running back Brandon Jacobs' three-game suspension was for conduct detrimental to the team.
Jacobs rushed five times for 7 yards in limited action this season. He was suspended Monday on the heels of making critical comments of his brief 49ers tenure on social media sites.
Harbaugh refused to delve into specifics as to why the 49ers suspended Jacobs. It's possible that Jacobs will appeal his suspension at some point.
"You're really not in a position to be talking about that," Harbaugh said. "We'll let that work its way through the system. In terms of why or how we felt, our actions speak for themselves there."
· Manningham (shoulder), Smith (shoulder), fullback Bruce Miller (shoulder) and linebacker Tavares Gooden (ribs) were limited in practice Wednesday.
· The 49ers re-signed linebacker Eric Bakhtiari to a two-year contract. He appeared in three games for the 49ers earlier this season and spent all of training camp on the team's roster.
Bakhtiari takes the place of Demarcus Dobbs, who was placed on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday, as a core special-teams player.
The 49ers still have one spot open on their 53-man roster. Harbaugh said he isn't sure whether that spot will be filled between now and Sunday's game.


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Home - Your one stop SilverStripe learning resource
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BlogSilverStripe 3.0 Review
10 September 2012 | |Tweet
The eagerly awaited SilverStripe 3 has been available in a stable state for a while now, it's even had a minor release in the form or 3.0.1. But how does it shape up when compared to it's long established predecessor, SilverStripe 2?
Having now had time to really have a play with it and even do some project work with it there are 2 statements swirling around my head. 1: SilverStripe 3 is absolutely awesome and 2: We won't be using SilverStripe 3 for complex production sites just yet . Confused? Let me explain.Continue reading...
BlogAn interview with Felipe Skroski: Designing SilverStripe 3, UI development and the future of content management
4 March 2011 | |Tweet
This year looks like it's going to be an important milestone for SilverStripe. For not only does it mark the 10th anniversary of the company that brought us the CMS, SilverStripe Limited, but it's also the year in which work has begun on the first major release of the system since it's launch in 2007. SilverStripe 3.0 is still very early in its development but it's already looking very promising, potentially offering huge improvements such as versioned assets, a reworked templating system and better separation between the CMS and the underlying framework Sapphire among other things. However probably the most exciting improvement will be a completely new HTML5/jQueryUI admin interface.
The man in charge of designing the new UI is Felipe Skroski, creative director at SilverStripe Limited. With nearly 15 years of experience designing, marketing and project managing for the web, Felipe is well placed to lead the process, so I caught up with him to talk about SilverStripe 3, UI design and the future of content management.Continue reading...
TutorialsLeaflet with SS3
19 November 2012 | | | Supports v3.0Tweet
Leaflet is a good open-source alternative to Google Maps. I followed the instructions given in the Leaflet quick start guide (http://leafletjs.com/examples/quick-start.html), with a few adaptations to Silverstripe CMS. No custom icon, no additional layer, no customized css, no fancy feature : only the basic options to plot several locations on an interactive map.Continue reading...


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Currently contains 2,000+ videos which cover a wide variety of subjects. This collection includes streaming videos from Films for the Humanities and Sciences and Ambrose video producers with additional producers potentially added in the near future.
More Options:
Classic Catalog |
OhioLINK |
Online Journals/Resources |
Lane Public |
WorldCat |
More Options:
Research by Subject |
Databases A-Z
More Options:
OhioLINK Home |
OhioLINK Catalog |
Research by Subject |
Databases A-Z
More Options:
Miami University Search |
Miami University Directory
Find your summer read!
Faculty stipend and workshop offered for exploring open textbooks
Staff Spotlight: Nate Floyd
Celebrate National Poetry Month 2017 with Miami University Libraries


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There is something for everyone at the Berkshire Botanical Garden. Below is a list of our scheduled events classes, and exhibits. For details on any individual listing, just click on the event for more information. If you still have questions, feel free to call the garden at 413.298.3926. See you at the Garden!
Bring bagged lunch. Dress for limited outdoor fieldwork.
Discover the many plants that lend bark, buds, fruit and structural interest to the garden in fall and winter. Develop or enhance your ability to identify winter trees by twig and bud anatomy, bark features and plant architecture. Students will practice their skills with winter tree dichotomous keys. Participants should have The Illustrated Book of Trees by William Carey Grimm ISBN 0-8117-2220-1. Must be 1983 edition. Three copies will be available to share. Class enrollment is limited.
Brad Roeller is a private landscape garden supervisor for Altamont Estate in New York. He is the former Garden Manager for the New York Botanical Garden and has spent his entire career in horticulture with a focus in sustainable gardening. He lectures extensively and instructs at the New York Botanical Garden, Berkshire Botanical Garden and New England Grows.
Registration for this event is now closed. Walk-ins can not be accommodated.
Join Sir Peter Crane for a discussion of his latest book, Ginkgo: The Tree That Time Forgot. He will share insights on the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, the important role of botanic gardens and his great love of trees. Inspired by the historic ginkgo that has thrived in London's Kew Gardens since the 1760s, he explores the history of the ginkgo from its mysterious origin through its proliferation, drastic decline and ultimate resurgence. Crane also highlights the cultural and social significance of the ginkgo: its medicinal and nutritional uses, its power as a source of artistic and religious inspiration and its importance as one of the world's most popular street trees.
Sir Peter Crane is the Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. Dean and Professor of Botany at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. His work focuses on the diversity of plant life: its origin and fossil history, current status, and conservation and use. From 1992 to 1999, he was director of the Field Museum in Chicago, with overall responsibility for the museum's scientific programs. From 1999 to 2006, he was director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, U.K. Crane was elected to the Royal Society (the U.K. academy of sciences) in 1998. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, foreign associate of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and a member of the German Academy Leopoldina. He was knighted in the U.K. for services to horticulture and conservation in 2004. He currently serves on the Boards of the Field Museum, the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas and the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. He is a Distinguished Counsellor to the Board of the New York Botanical Garden.
This lecture is not just for gardeners but for those who know and cherish Beatrix Potter and her classic tales. Her characters exist in a charmed world filled with flowers and gardens, a world born of Potter's own passion for nature. In this engaging and delightfully illustrated talk, Marta McDowell takes participants on a personal journey. She traces the development and eventual blossoming of Beatrix Potter's life as a gardener, from her childhood interest in plants, through her realization as an artist and author, to her final years as an estate farmer and naturalist. This richly illustrated lecture includes quotations from her books, letters and journals. A book signing and sale of Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life will follow the talk.
Marta McDowell consults for public gardens and private clients, writes and lectures on gardening topics, and teaches landscape history and horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden, where she studied landscape design. Her first book, Emily Dickinson's Gardens: A Celebration of a Poet and Gardener, was published in 2005. She is an active member of The Beatrix Potter Society.
Sign up for both classes on March 8 and receive a 10% discount: The Wonderful World of Maples + Woodland Treasures
Join horticulturalist Kevin Wilcox for an in depth look at Maples: the genus Acer. He will focus on the smaller species and cultivated varieties suitable for the smaller home landscape. Special consideration will be placed on Hardiness for Zone 5, specific cultural needs, and any exceptional features these trees may exhibit. Aside from the more common species of Japanese Maples, like Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum, Kevin will also explore many other lesser known species like Acer triflorum, the Three-flower Maple. Sorting out this enormous group of plants is a challenge and Kevin will help participants identify the best of the bunch!
Kevin Wilcox is an expert in the field of woody ornamental plants. He has worked in horticulture for 29 years and owns and operates Silver Spring Nursery in Bloomfield CT He is an active member of the Connecticut Horticulture Society and teaches widely throughout Connecticut. He is an active member of the Connecticut Horticulture Society and teaches widely throughout Connecticut.
Sign up for both classes on March 8 and receive a 10% discount: Woodland Treasures + The Wonderful World of Maples
Learn about the beautiful woodland plants grown by John Lonsdale from Edgewood Gardens, his family's 1.7-acre garden in southeastern Pennsylvania. He will showcase plants that are Zone 5 hardy, including large and small species of bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, herbaceous perennials and small trees and shrubs suitable for a variety of site conditions. Primary flowering periods are February through July and September through November. At its peak in April and May, the woodland garden at Edgewood provides spectacular color as well as the more subdued greens and silvers of the "quieter" but no less valuable plants. The presentation will focus on methods for successful cultivation and propagation by division or seed. Genera discussed include Trillium, Helleborus, Hepatica, Erythronium, Cypripedium, Epimedium, Cyclamen, Corydalis, Asarum, Anemonella, Arisaema and Phlox.
John Lonsdale grew up in Sheffield, England and moved to the U.S. in 1995. He has developed a remarkable garden and plant collection in the genera listed above. He has been active as a participant and lecturer in many horticultural organizations, including the Alpine Garden Society, the Daphne Society, the Cyclamen Society and the North American Rock Garden Society. Lonsdale holds a Ph.D. in microbiology and works in the pharmaceutical industry to discover novel antibiotics. He lives in Exton, PA, with his wife and three daughters.
This class has been cancelled. For more information call the Garden at 413.298.3926.
Join the fascinating world of Linda Rutenburg, Canadian photographer and gardener, as she shares her five-year project in the US, Canada and England, documenting botanical gardens after the sun goes down. This program is not just for the avid photographer but also for lovers of flowers, nature, gardens and beauty. Learn how this project began and enjoy Linda's extraordinary images from over 35 botanical gardens and arboreta. She will explain her techniques for photographing flowers and is sure to inspire both gardeners and photographers to get into the garden after dark.
Linda Rutenberg is a Canadian-born photographer. She produces work, teaches, lectures and gives workshops all over the world. The Garden at Night is a nocturnal garden series done in Canada, the US and England. In addition to her photographs, Linda has produced many books. Her award-winning Mont Royal: A World Apart reveals one year's exploration of the Frederic Law Olmstead Park in the heart of Montreal, Quebec. She has also produced 11 books in a series with ECW Press on 13 North American cities. Her latest books, The Garden at Night (2007), After Midnight (2008) and The English Garden at Night (2009) take us on a journey through the most beautiful botanical gardens at night.
This is a three-day workshop that meets on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, March 19, 20 and 21, 10am – 4pm.
Bring a bag lunch. Materials list available here.
Learn the art of beautiful pen-and-ink rendering for botanical drawing. The quill pen is an expressive medium, rich in flowing lines and sparkling textures. Pen and ink has a long tradition throughout art history, favored by artists for illustration and calligraphy, with the original quill pen being a bird's flight feather. Students will be working with the modern metal crow-quill, well known and liked for the ability to produce fine details. Begin the class trying out the nibs, learning how to hold the pen for different strokes and creating textures to achieve tonal values for shading. Have fun applying these techniques to your own ink drawings of botanical subjects. This workshop is suitable for beginners or those with previous ink experience.
Carol Ann Morley is a professional artist and dedicated teacher working in Milton, NH. She founded the Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate Program at the New York Botanical Garden and teaches botanical art and drawing at The New York Botanical Garden, The Wellesley College Botanic Garden and Sanctuary Arts in Eliot, Maine, in addition to the Berkshire Botanical Garden.
This class is full. To be added to the wait list, please call the Garden at 413.298.3926
Participants should dress warmly and bring pruners and a bag lunch. Directions available here. Snow date: March 30.
This demonstration/workshop will focus on the specifics of pruning stone and pome fruit trees and some small fruits, including cane fruits and ribes. Unlike ornamental woody plants, pruning for fruit is a special science that is designed to maximize fruit production. Learn the principles of pruning for shape, size and, most importantly, fruit production. Watch a structural pruning demonstration on newly planted fruit trees. Semi-dwarf orchard trees, including mature and newly planted trees, will be available for pruning.
Steve McKay is the former Grape and Small Fruit Specialist for Cornell Cooperative Extension in eastern New York State. He has a B.S. in entomology from U.C. Davis and a M.S. in pomology. He own Micosta, a fruit nursery located in Hudson, NY. He specializes in traditional and unusual fruit tree and small fruits.
This class is near capacity. Please call 413.298.3926 to register.
Participants can choose to carpool or drive separately. Those joining the carpool should meet in the parking lot at Berkshire Botanical Garden for a 9 am departure. Carpool will return at approximately 2 pm. For directions, click here .
Learn from experts how to start seedlings, both vegetables and annual flowers, indoors for the coming growing season. Expert growers Maureen Sullivan and Mitch Feldmesser will lead a tour of their growing operations and explain how they select ornamental varieties for their plant vigor, flower form, fragrance and color. They also do extensive growing of herb and vegetable plants, selecting for flavor as well as garden performance and productiveness. Learn about growing techniques necessary to give garden plants a good start, and garner growing tips from these professionals. In addition to the tour, practice sowing and transplanting, and take home a few special plants to grow on.
Maureen Sullivan and Mitch Feldmesser own Left Field Farm, a certified organic farm located in Middlefield, MA. They grow hundreds of carefully selected varieties of heirloom and hybrid ornamental, herb and vegetable plants from their certified organic greenhouses.


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Kansas City is a great baseball town. Is there any excitement regarding the best minor league system in baseball and the recent acquisitions in KC? Or is it too early?
Kansas City is a great baseball town. Is there any excitement regarding the best minor league system in baseball and the recent acquisitions in KC? Or is it too early?
I'm excited. The hard part is waiting for them to arrive.
It is kind of exciting. I just saw Baseball America proclaimed the Royals farm system the best. Reminds of the good 'ole days a little...but as bbxpert said the waiting is the hard part. That said, I have to be a little concerned about how well things will be managed and just what we will actually get to see from the farm system. With KC's penchant for trading away quality...I remain a bit nervous too...cautiously optimistic maybe?
I always suspected that rebuilding the minor league system would be a ten year project. It's almost impossible to explain how bad our system was prior to Moore's arrival. We've waited this long. What's a couple more years?
Love my Royals even when they lose!
Promotional Marketing
Sure we have some minor league talent. But just like the royals always do we seem to somehow destroy that talent. As for right now, when you look at our major league roster its a joke. We have maybe one pitcher in our rotation that would be in the rotation with any other team. Why is davies still pitching? The guy is awful. As for our lineup, we have Billy Butler and thats about it. Everyone else would be lucky to bat .250. Take last nights game for example, we have first and third and nobody out. All Alex Gordon has to do is put the ball in play to score the go ahead run (only reason the game is tied is because of errors the twins made) and he strikes out. Followed by a pop out and ground out, leaves the runners stranded. Twins go on to win in extra innings. That one run in the 7th or 8th inning would of won the game. Instead we lose.


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January - March 2013 - Nutrition
Be the MVP of Your Health: Make Healthy Choices During National Nutrition Month
By: Chris Paul, Point Guard for the Los Angeles Clippers and Member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition
Making healthy choices is essential for me to function at the highest level, whether I'm on the road for a game or at home with my family. March is National Nutrition Month and is a great reminder for us all to incorporate healthy eating into our daily lives.
PCFSN in 2012: A Look Back at an Amazing Year
By: Shellie Pfohl, Executive Director, President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition
As I look back on 2012, I am amazed and proud of all that we have accomplished at the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN). It was a year of significant progress toward our mission to engage, educate, and empower all Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition.
SWARMing Around Goldsboro, NC
By: Shellie Pfohl, Executive Director of President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition
North Carolina is known for its rich agricultural history. Eastern North Carolina, in particular, remains steeped in the rural traditions that have built a long-standing relationship with good food, agriculture, land and cultural identity. While across America, there is a widespread belief that young people are becoming more and more disconnected from the traditions, in a recent trip to Goldsboro, NC, it was refreshing to see that notion dissolve into a myth. I had the opportunity to visit with several young folks who are determined to keep those traditions alive and thriving.
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- National Physical Fitness and Sports Month (1)
- Nutrition (13)
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- Physical Activity (10)
- Physical Education (3)
- President's Council (1)
- School (9)
- Science Board (1)
- Sports (8)
- Title IX (3)
- Worldwide Day of Play (2)
- Youth (13)
Check out
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text:
Guide for Farm Loan Programs
The Farm Service Agency (FSA), which is committed to providing clear and concise explanation of its farm loan process, announces the online publication titled "Your Guide to FSA Farm Loans."
The guide is designed to serve as an informational tool and resource to help in providing outreach and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers.
The guide, written in "plain language," provides information about FSA's farm loans and loan servicing options. A list of additional resources is also included in the guide.
The guide is available online at www.fsa.usda.gov/dafl. Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to download and share it with others who may require assistance in understanding FSA's loan process.


text: I followed this great guide: http://www.howtoforge.com/virtual-users-domains-postfix-courier-mysql-squirrelmail-ubuntu-10.04 But when trying to connect to squirrel mail, I get the error seen in the title. I have also tried accessing accounts through desktop applications, but no joy (they say to check the username/password). I have sent myself welcome emails in order to generate the right directories (I've used gmail, mailx and sendmail to do this). Here is a section of mail.log: Code: Feb 12 16:49:35 server1 postfix/tlsmgr[1790]: fatal: open database /var/lib/postfix/smtpd_scache.db: Invalid argument Feb 12 16:49:43 server1 imapd: [email protected][email protected][email protected][email protected]


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Special Events Calendar
Eat'n Park Family Week
6/14/2014 - 6/22/2014
Enjoy some family time at Eat'n Park Family Week. Each day will feature a new theme and highlight different animals throughout the Zoo with tons of fun activities, special animal encounters, mascot appearances, live entertainment and more!
Saturday, June 14 - Kids Kingdom Kickoff: Enjoy our sea lion show, making cool crafts, and the chance to watch special enrichment activities.
Sunday, June 15 - Shark Day: Watch a shark feeding and learn more about our Sand Tiger Sharks. Make a special craft for dad to help him celebrate Father's Day. All dad's receive free admission when accompanied by a child.
Monday, June 16 - Underwater Adventure: Meet the experts, get your face painted and watch animal enrichment activities.
Tuesday, June 17 - The Bear Necessities: Join us for a special Teddy Bear Clinic from 10am-1pm. Meet our bear certified veterinary team to ensure that your best bear buddy is in paws-up shape. Space is limited for this activity. Afterwards, join Radio Disney Junior for music, games, and prizes. Watch as our bears receive special treats and enrichment items. Keep the fun going with a visit from Team Smiley.
Wednesday, June 18 - Primate Party: Compare you handprint, make a craft, get an airbrush tattoo and join Radio Disney for fun, music, and dancing.
Thursday, June 19 - Flaunt It Like a Flamingo: Enjoy a flamingo walk, get an airbrush tattoo, and make a fun flamingo craft.
Friday, June 20 - Sea Otter Day: Watch our sea otters receive special ice treats, create a cool craft, and learn more about these fun animals. Visit with Team Smiley for fun games and activities.
Saturday, June 21 - Rocking Red Panda Day: Make a red panda mask and answer trivia questions to win cool prizes. Team Smiley will keep the fun going with games and activities.
Sunday, June 22 - Big Cat Craze: Meet the experts, make a craft, and watch as our big cats receive special enrichment. You can even get an airbrush tattoo of your favorite Zoo animal.
Sponsored by:
Eat'n Park
Contact Information:
Regan Riester


text: by ***** Flores Thursday's debacle at the hands of the Washington Redskins has opened up a can of worms for Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett. After the game, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he's not sure if his team can finish with an 8-8 record. Wait; did Jones let the cat out of the bag, as far as Garrett's future is concerned? Does he really doubt Garrett's coaching abilities? While one speculates Jones will fire Garrett, I just don't see that happening. We must remember that Jones handpicked Garrett to be his head coach. Garrett, if you recall, was a very young coach in terms of experience when he left Miami to become Dallas' offensive coordinator. LINK Read more at http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2012/11/23/jason-garrett-isnt-going-anywhere-yet/?jxj5PqVc1GYFBqoD.99


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Town Square
Do We Owe City Employees Lifetime Employment?
Original post made by Chris, Palo Alto Hills, on Mar 20, 2007
Before the usual suspects drown us in vituperative dogma, it might be interesting to get a rational discussion about the issue started.
Diamond makes some very good points that seem to counter very effectively the union's arguments on cost, quality and safety of outsourced work. She also compares Palo Alto to neighboring cities in a way that makes it look like we have more workers than we need at first blush.
She also confronts head-on the moral/political arguments about what we "owe" the union employees. She says the city's first responsibility is to provide services to its residents in the most efficient way possible. She seems to dismiss any argument that we owe the union employees something "just because" they're on the payroll, regardless of whether they're doing best what the city requires.
Is this right? Are we, in some manner, responsible for the welfare of anyone who works for the city - for life? The mayor's recent state of the city speech indicated just how deep a hole we're in specifically in large part because of pension liabilities. Do we want more of this, or can we shed them by getting rid of any 'excess' employees?
More broadly, given the union flyer Diamond describes, are we on the way to becoming something akin to the old line East Coast Industrial cities where municipal unions are perhaps the strongest political players - players that have to be satisfied before any policy change affecting their interests is made? Is this what we want given that most employees don't even live here?
Comments (31)
a resident of Crescent Park
on Mar 20, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Diana Diamond seems to be in the Frying Pan :-) She seems to enjoy it. If I were her I bet I would enjoy this.
Actually lets look at this carefuly. It is not Diana Diamond who is in the frying pan. It is the residents of Palo Alto who are in the frying pan. She is just telling us so in no uncertain words.
It is true the city is in trouble thanks to the excess city employees (who keep saying that they are hard working souls) and the management is to be blamed, and the mangement blames something else.
We need a council who can control this mess by not listening to any side whatsoever - because when that happens the entire situation gets murky - and when you look at the arguments presented nothing can be cut.
The ONLY way to fix this - and I hope the council is listening - cut employee workforce 20% across the board. No discussion - no arguments. We simply cannot afford this mess. After that allow some time to reorganize, then cut another 10%.
Needless to say we have too many city employees. Wait for these employees to get older and we have an EVEN BIGGER PENSION mess.
Who do you REALLY think is in the FRYING PAN ???
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Mar 20, 2007 at 3:06 pm
With apologies, in advance, to Ogden Nash....
Ho-hum...yawn...here they come
Naysayers shouting again, all as one
(by the way, one's just shy of what they have
the polls clearly show they can't be saved)
"We can't" "we won't", they scream and yell
As they follow their fearless fiction-writer, Diana
"Watch out" they warn
Whoops! they exhort as slip on their very own rotten bananas
The naysayers say "The City conspires to make us poor"
What they forget is that their fading day is over; it's a bore
(can't they see that Palo Altan's want more?)
What Palo Altans want is a positive future -
not one that requires suture after suture
From vicious cuts and slashes made
as fading naysayers drink their kool-aid
So let them scream and let them shout
Let Diana help them knock themselves out
Soon our city will be fresh and new
With helpful city employees, and me and you
Living our lives in a city with hope
Instead of the naysayer's cries of "nope!"
a resident of Southgate
on Mar 20, 2007 at 3:31 pm
It seems to me that draconian solutions such as those proposed by kfeWT are simplistic and would cause more problems than they might fix.
First, how do you define an "excess employee"? How do you know the city has too many employees? I don't understand how someone sitting on the sidelines can decide these questions without hard evidence, and I don't mean anecdotal evidence ala "My friend saw a utilities worker standing by idle."
Looked at closely, I also suspect that the population/employee ratios that Diamond is fond of citing, would, on closer inspection be influenced by the kinds of demands the citizens make on the government and the level of services the citizens had become used to over the years.
Another culprit is the crippling effect of Proposition 13 on the ability of municipalities to fairly spread its citizens' tax burden, coupled with the unwillingness of the citizenry to be taxed to deal with infrastructure maintenance and other legitimate ongoing needs.
Solutions like "...cut employee workforce 20% across the board. No discussion - no arguments. We simply cannot afford this mess. After that allow some time to reorganize, then cut another 10%..." simply ignore the reality of running an organization as complex as a city government. Try that and listen to the anguished cries of the citizens. Also deal with the flood of good governmental employees who leave after being overloaded with the work they'll be asked to take on as a result of such a bloodbath.
I think you'll find that, If necessary, selective pruning is much more productive.
a resident of Community Center
on Mar 20, 2007 at 4:29 pm
I consider Diana to be a friend, and she has graciously quoted me in one of her recent aritcles. I really would like to see Diana or someone engender a discussion on what it is we want this community to be all about in the next 30 years--I refer to it as "The Character of Palo Alto."
If we were to do this as a community, I believe that it would be much more clear what sort of revenues should be generated, what the sources of those revenues should be and what the "mix" of those sources should look like over a multi-year time horizon. We also would be much more clear about what aspects of our community's services, infrastructure and other expenditures are "mission critical" and which ones are either no longer needed, possible to do differently going forward than they have been done in the past, which should continue as they have, and which ones are needed we don't have presently.
The small company I own does business with certain types of retailers. Whole Foods is an example of one of our customers. Safeway is an example of another grocer which is not one of our customers. Why is that? Because my company makes products that fit well with the character of Whole Foods as a store, and with the character of the people when they choose to shop there. Not a fit with Safeway. This is just a fact, not a value judgment.
I am sure that Whole Foods compares itself to Safeway on a number of measures, and I suspect Safeway does the same. But, my hunch is that Whole Foods is not attempting to figure how it does what it does with an employee head count that matches that of Safeway. Nor do I think Safeway feels that it can charge the types of prices that Whole Foods does for what on the surface may be comparable items.
But they're both grocery stores, right? And Palo Alto is a city, just like other cities, right? Maybe there is a bit more to it than that....
With all the good strategic thinking capabilities we can harness in this community, I think it is time to really get a clear, well developed statement (a "mission") of what those of us who care about Palo Alto believe that character of Palo Alto is to be for the next 30 or so years. What we have right now is an elephant getting its various parts described by the blind men.
To my way of thinking, if our community leaders can engender and reach closure from such a discussion, many choices we face about our revenue options and our expenditure decisions will start making better sense.
There are times when I stay at Motel 6, and times when I stay at the Marriott, and at other times Four Seasons. I do them all. But I know what to expect at each, and they are not the same expectations. After all, each has its own distinct character.
What is the Character we want Palo Alto to have?
a resident of Barron Park
on Mar 20, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Benchmarking is a good place to start, but it is usually more useful for diagnosing problems, not so much for fixing. If we found out that Mountain View (say) gets by with a lot less city workers, then the question is which departments? How are they organized differently? Do they do the same things? Etc. Usually, not always, you find that the differences are not quite so broad as maybe they seemed at first blush and bridging those gaps often require bigger changes than you might have hoped. But it often points at good places to look more closely.
THAT SAID - organizations get fat and need to go on a diet. This is a well-established fact, driven by simple human and organizational dynamics (I won't bore you with my grad school baggage!). McKinsey, the consulting firm, used to (and maybe still does) do a good business in OVA - Overhead Value Analysis - basically doing detailed benchmarking and analysis on where to cut overhead workers. The cool thing - even after the cuts, they could be pretty sure they'd be back in 3 years, since the underlying drive to fatten up was always still there.
So, it would make sense that if Palo Alto hasn't cut much in a while, we probably could use a diet. Probably not 10% across the board - though interestingly, the newly elected Democratic Governor of Massachusetts just announced similar across-the-board cuts, all the more interesting since his predecessor, Republican Mitt Romney, made his considerable fortune as a tough-as-nails captain of industry - but some goal like that needs to be hit, to drive the organization to make hard decisions.
a resident of Palo Alto Hills
on Mar 20, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Paul makes a good point. At some level of analysis, we do have to decide what kind of city we want to have, and that will determine (to a degree) both the number and kinds of employees we have.
But I think Fred's post is more apposite. Whether we stay in a Motel 6 or a Four Seasons, we want the establishment to be well-run for what it is, and we want value for our money.
The essence of Diana's column, and of the comments of many posters on this forum is that this is not the case in Palo Alto. It is a question that is out in the open, and it bears on so much of our budgetary problems, that it will have to be addressed sooner or later. Given the precariousness of our finances, sooner likely is better.
a resident of Barron Park
on Mar 20, 2007 at 8:04 pm
What is all the "naysayer" stuff? I've seen that on other threads. What does it mean? Who are the "naysayers"? Are there "yeasayers" as well?
a resident of Community Center
on Mar 20, 2007 at 8:21 pm
There have been cuts in staffing and employees over the past several years, and so far, it does not appear that they have "hurt" in the sense that it has meant the community is not getting "something" that it was getting before. What people in City Hall say now is that if there are further cuts at this point, they will be felt.
One area that I think may help us more fully understand the cost structure question is "work flow." The Palo Alto process is revered by some, reviled by others, but one hypothesis I have is that since it is part of this community, it may have caused work flow within many departments to become a more costly matter, compared to work flow in other cities dealing with similar projects, such as approval of a new building.
I do recall a few years back that the Auditor found some efficiencies that could be brought to bear within the Planning Department, and its Director Steve Emslie (whom I also know and have worked with a bit) was very supportive of the findings. I don't recall the specifics, and to what extent it was work flow related, nor do I know to what extent the Auditor has been asked to examine work flow in various City functions to see if Palo Alto's are or are not comparable.
So, I think a reasonable question to ask is "To what extent does the work flow for common city activities in Palo Alto compare with other cities?" This is a different question than "how many employees do we have compared with other cities?" If the answer is that work flow is different for Palo Alto on certain things, it then becomes a question of whether it is that way for understandable reasons, or if it has gotten that way that is not explainable.
It may be that if certain work flow is quite different, it is that way because the "Character" of Palo Alto calls for such an approach. In such a case, it is acceptable, provided we have addressed the character matter. Or it may be quite different for no explainable reasons, and it may need more careful review and modification.
I don't know to what extent Frank Benest and his key folks have thought about this sort of thing, I may ask him next time I see him. If they have been looking into it, it would be great to learn more about what they have concluded, not much has been said about it. If it has not received much scrutiny from them in this way so far, it may be that now is the time to start doing so.
a resident of Palo Alto Hills
on Mar 20, 2007 at 8:56 pm
If I read you correctly, you're suggesting that perhaps the Palo Alto Process adds inefficiencies to the city's operation which accounts for the apparent lower output per employee here as compared to other towns.
An interesting hypothesis, which you would think that city management would be quick to investigate since it seems to say "it's the residents' fault" (which naturally is a common sentiment among the rank and file of city workers from what one hears.)
Do you have any thoughts about the tenacious efforts of the SEIU to thwart any plans for (further) outsourcing? This would seem to suggest that the unions are engaged in rent seeking activities - This is not necessarily inconsistent with your hypothesis, but it suggests that maybe there are some excess costs for labor not accounted for by your notion.
a resident of Community Center
on Mar 20, 2007 at 9:30 pm
I really don't think the work flow matter is intertwined with efforts of the union representing certain employees as I think you are suggesting.
Here is an example of something I have first hand knowledge about, which I will disguise a bit for reasons of confidentiality.
There is a function in the City which involves several employees, one of whom is full time, and others who are involved in it for 1/4 to 1/2 of their time. It involves dealing with members of the public at several levels--individuals, organizations, neighborhoods. It also is quite complicated logistically, and invariably no matter what the city employees do around this matter, some parties will feel that they are getting the short end of the stick.
So, the employees allocate a great deal of time meeting up front each year with various stakeholders both formally and informally to make sure there are clear understandings all around, and when something does not appear "right" to certain stakeholders in the course of the year, a good deal of time is expended getting issues and concerns on the table. At a minimum, people leave with a fuller understanding, and often actions can be taken to reduce perceived negative impacts of some of the actions the city employees must take to do their jobs in this area.
From what I observe of this set of employees, they do a great job of keeping a potential powder keg from exploding. But, the approach they take could be described as very much in keeping with the Palo Alto process, and I suspect other cities are not as diligent in working with various stakeholders--there is more of a "Tough luck" posture elsewhere.
On the surface, there probably are more FTE's involved in this set of activities in Palo Alto compared to other cities because of the way it is handled. (The level of demand by the community may also be greater compared with other communities, but let's not get overly complicated here.) More of a 4 Seasons approach than a Motel 6 approach, if you will. The work flow in Palo Alto is likely very different from what we see in other cities. It is explainable why. Does that mean it should be that way? I hope my disguised but very real example demonstrates that the answer to the question is not exactly a "no brainer."
I would not characterize what goes on in this area as inefficient, to use a word you suggest. People in this area seem to go about their jobs in a diligent manner, and I have seen some very interesting innovations over the years I have had dealings with this group of folks that have greatly improved their work product and their productivity. But I would be the first to say that the responsibilities could be handled very differently, and the work product the community would get also would be very different, and regarded less favorably.
Back to the Character question. Chocolates on the pillow? Quarters for the magic fingers bed? Pay at check in or at check out?
a resident of Palo Alto Hills
on Mar 21, 2007 at 8:45 am
I think there is some validity to your point that the attempts of the city staff to accommodate the demands of the Palo Alto Process account for some of the differences in measured output per worker some have noted between Palo Alto and neighboring cities. (If we have workers who are engaged in mollifying various interest groups instead of doing what is normally measured, we will seem less efficient because the statistics don't measure everything our employees are doing.) I will accept that there is some of this going on in Palo Alto, and even your inference that it's something the community wants more than some surrounding communities. It would be nice if we could get a better handle on this phenomenon, but I have many doubts that this can be done since it's by nature ill-defined.
I continue to think that a more fruitful line of inquiry in the short term might be to look for more straightforward examples of real, measurable inefficiency as traditionally defined. I think the outsourcing 'controversy' described by Diana Diamond is a good example. Mowing the grass at the parks doesn't involve a lot of handholding of stakeholders. If outside contractors can do that part of the job more efficiently, shouldn't they.
Whether we decide we want chocolates on the pillow or magic fingers, shouldn't we insist they be provided in the most financially advantageous way?
a resident of Community Center
on Mar 21, 2007 at 9:47 am
We are largely on the same page. I merely am pointing out that when one looks at work flow on many things done here in town, we may find it is different, and that is because that is the way people have wanted to be served in the past.
The tricky thing with work flow analysis is that there may be situations where even if it is done well and efficiently, there is a re-engineering opportunity that can improve the costs, or the level of service, or whatever. We see this all the time in the private sector, and it has occurred in Palo Alto government, although it is not something that always is recognized as such.
My other point is that we are more likely to find ourselves facing these types of questions, as opposed to low hanging fruit. There may still be some, but it won't fill the basket.
a resident of Palo Alto Hills
on Mar 21, 2007 at 11:50 am
You may well be correct that the low-hanging fruit (inefficiencies as usually defined) has been largely harvested, though events like the SEIU action on outsourcing, described by Diamond, would seem to put that in some doubt. (I don't mean to belabor this point, but I was struck by Diamond's column - the basic facts of which I assume are accurate, and to my mind there are few explanations of it that don't involve some sort of rent seeking by the union.)
In any event, there seems to be widespread perception that we are wasting significant amounts of money on our workforce, and the comparisons with surrounding cities like Mountain View are striking - no matter how difficult one tries to explain the differences in employees by describing higher service levels. (And I would think - as a political matter - the task of attributing the differences to some sort of stakeholder satisfaction maximization strategy would be even more problematical.)
I don't think there will be a lot of support toward moving forward on the kind of civic philosophical discussion on what we want the character of the city to be like until and unless something is done to address the perceptions - mythical or not - that our labor costs are out of line with other cities, and that we aren't receiving value for expenditures in that area.
In my mind, this should be the first order of business. I don't think most sceptics would trust the city to do its own investigation or study - though Sharon Erickson does seem to have a lot of credibility. Perhaps as Fred's post above implies, some outside Mckinsey-type expertise might be appropriate.
a resident of Community Center
on Mar 21, 2007 at 12:59 pm
I think it is a matter of managing expectations. It is very easy to project in any direction from one data point--in this case what happens around parks maintenance employees or outsourcing.
Diana's larger point, as I understand it, is what sort of understanding does the city have with its employee base? If the model of employment, in this case a compensation structure that dates back 3 decades or more, no longer fits with the current conditions, we need to come up with an approach that is appropriate for the next period of time.
As to the widespread perception around this issue, I really would like to get past perceptions, and into reality. I am not suggesting that there are not ways to better manage our headcount and payroll, of course there are. There always are. But the "perception" or "suggestion" that we are wasting significant amounts of money on our work force is a non starter for me. If we want to have a stated objective of reducing payroll as a percentage of total city expense by a certain amount, we need to do that. I just have some serious mis-givings that it will be done with efficiency experts coming in and finding huge pockets of opportunity to garner such savings. It is a more subtle and sophisticated game that we have to play, even if the stated objective is clear, simple and straighforward.
You and I have exchanged thoughts about this before. I do believe that what we have right now is actuarily unsustainable, and we need to figure out what can be a structure that is fair to employees, attracts and keeps high quality personnel, and that is within the city's financial capacity going forward. That is where we will get savings and sustainability, I think, not by finding egregious waste.
I canot respond to your Mtn. View comparison, because if we are talking about structure, that is different than head count and job responsibilities, which are part of the work flow question we had earlier.
a resident of Palo Alto Hills
on Mar 21, 2007 at 1:49 pm
I have a couple of responses to your latest post.
You may very well be right that there are no efficiency gains to be had through examination of the current workforce and management structure. I am not conclusively persuaded by the anectodal evidence offered by Diana and others, but it seems to me there is enough there to merit some sort of analysis. My bigger point is that as a matter of political reality, there is enough worry in the community about this, so that addressing the point is necessary to gain enough political consensus to do anything at all. (You have, I am sure, taken note of the discussion of the apparently forthcoming bond issue, much of the opposition to which hinges on the employee cost issues.) So whether it is a non-starter for you or not, it is very much an issue for many others. I think it needs to be addressed both because it may offer more significant savings than you seem to think, and because in any event, it will (perhaps) get an issue that is interferring with everything else the city tries to do behind us.
I do not disagree substantially with your list of paramaters which you say must be addressed going forward. However I do think that it's maybe more constrained than it needs to be. That is, I think you over-define the problem and therefore the possible solutions.
I don't think we necessarily have to get too far into what you call work-flow and structure as a starting point to any analysis. Palo Alto, like all cities, provides services to its residents. Mountain View, by all the metrics available, seems to do it more efficiently than Palo Alto. Whether there are unmeasured aspects to the service that Palo Alto provides (like your stakeholder mediation) that accounts for the differences in the measured metrics is quite possible - but to me at least, very much open to question. Would it not be desirable to at least examine this?
I agree with you about Diana's larger point - the "understanding" with respect to the employee base. It is interesting that not many people seem to want to talk much about this. It's not a hard problem to define: Diana does it very well in a short column. But it's (apparently) dicy to talk about. I keep returning to the outsourcing issue in our conversation because I think it's relevant. Assuming, for sake of argument, that Diana is right about the cost savings and quality equivalence of outsourced park maintence, do we nontheless owe it to the prople who showed up at the CC meeting in purple shirts to employ some of them at higher cost because of some moral or legal or other obligation? If we don't, we may have more flexibility than we think in addressing our budgetary problems. If we do, then perhaps we have fewer options, and a more preordained future than we like to think
a resident of Community Center
on Mar 21, 2007 at 3:26 pm
We are largely in agreement around the various questions this string is posing. I call it a non-starter because I don't think we will find a great deal of what we have been referring to as waste or low hanging fruit. If we do, great, but I think I know enough about what is going on to have a point of view that it will not be that easy.
This question of why are there seemingly more employees here in Palo Alto compared to other cities has been around for some time. Different people from various vantage points have posed the question with different tones in their voices over a number of years. And it is a reasonable question to be asked. And it does appear that the "answer" still eludes us.
So, perhaps what really is needed here is a focused effort to get a well developed answer to that very basic question. No pre-conceived notions about what the asnwer will be, or what it may or may not imply for how the City conducts its affairs going forward. It could help all of us, those highly engaged and those less so, to have a common understanding from which we can continue the dialog as a better informed community.
Now, how do we go about "answering it?" I do not have an answer to that question!
a resident of College Terrace
on Mar 21, 2007 at 4:08 pm
With all due respect, I do not think we need a thirty year outlook, or even a five year outlook. Priorities change with each new electoral swing in the Council. The population changes, too...and new perceived needs arise. It is a real stew.
We need to deal with the here and now. The City is getting low on money, so where do we cut? Be specific.
Here a few suggestions:
1. Abolish all monies for the outdoor arts commission. Why should we pay to be affronted with some artists ego trip? All that stuff can and should be handled by an unpaid volunteer council of interested citizens.
2. Abolish the City arborist. Just contract with a tree trimming company for necessary trimming and maintenance. Get rid of the law that protects oaks and redwoods - maybe people will start planting them again!
3. Allow the use of all approved herbicides and pesticides by our park maintenance people.
4. Renegotiate the union contract. This will mean taking on a strike. This will be a very healthy thing for the City, as it was the last time it happened.
a resident of Community Center
on Mar 21, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Pick your time frame. I think we need some time frame that provides the types of predictability we should expect from the municipal government, it serves as a platform on which other things are planned and done. It is not nimble by design, changes slowly as a result. At least 10 years for this sort of exercise seems indicated to me.
My opinion specifically is that we need to change the compensation strucuture for all employees, not just unionized employees, particulalry around retirement and health benefits. My wife works for the Federal government, and around 8 or 9 years ago during the Clinton administration, changes were made that affected her pension, her 403B retirement plan, and her social security participation, and her health care. They still are very good, but they are less costly to fund by the USG than they were previously.
We need a structure that does not saddle us with obligations that last long into an employee's retirement and we no longer are getting the fruits of the employee's work. This is not unique to Palo Alto, by the way, it is a matter cities up and down the state must face.
I'd start there. And I'd keep the arborist.
a resident of College Terrace
on Mar 21, 2007 at 8:48 pm
John has the most pragmatic approach to the issue. Listen to his suggestions and sleep on them. You may find a different opinion in the morning. Evvwerything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler.
a resident of College Terrace
on Mar 22, 2007 at 12:53 am
Boy-o-boy, Is this all we can come up with - slash, cut, lean out, etc. etc.? Is this really Palo Alto, or a shadow of the innovative demeanor that made this a great city? I have not heard one idea for expanding revenue streams. Get busy, people, it's the only way out. We need to *grow*.
a resident of Barron Park
on Mar 22, 2007 at 12:53 am
I am in favor of reducing expenses for park maintenance; however, the labor practices of any contractor should be a part of the contract process. Does contracting out mean the City saves money because they hire a maintenance company that has lower labor costs because they hire illegals or provide or offer little or no benefits to their employees (e.g., sick leave, vacation, medical plan, pension plan) or don't pay them a living wage?
Do you think all the nannies pushing kids in strollers around Palo Alto in the afternoon are legally in the U.S. and their employers issue 1099's for tax purposes, and provide medical benefit or contribute so some medical plan? I think not.
If contracting out is the way, it should at least not be a low-bid only situation and other factors mentioned above should be considered.
a resident of Barron Park
on Mar 22, 2007 at 5:08 am
My understanding is that we already contract out some park maintenance, presumably keeping in mind some of your factors. I expect, from what I have read, that the city offers above-market benefits for park workers, and perhaps many other positions. If that is the case, and the Council decides they don't want to be above market, contracting out may be a less disruptive way to transition to market terms.
I agree with Mike, that we need a revenue strategy as well as a cost strategy. But I would not ignore the cost side and in fact would want the leadership to push hard there to gain credibility and goodwill when difficult decisions need to made on revenue proposals (e.g., bring in stores that might harm local merchants; site retail that may increase traffic).
a resident of Professorville
on Mar 22, 2007 at 7:45 am
Fred has a mostly correct balanced view of the situation. It is essential that we look at the revenue side of the budget. But no matter what our revenues are, we also need to make sure we spend them in the most efficient way possible. As employee costs make up something like 85% of the budget, there is no way getting around examining them.
And I think the poster above who posed the question as what do we owe our employees has addressed the issue directly. Do we owe them more than what we'd pay another outside firm for the same work? The verbiage about illegals and lack of benefits really is a distraction.
No one is suggesting that we hire illegals or sweatshop level firms. But I'm not sure that we need to feel bad if we contract with a firm that pays market wages (even if they're below city worker wages), and doesn't have a pension system that allows its workers to retire in their 50's with 80 or 90% of their pre-retirement wages like city workers can.
Some on the city council seem to disagree with this. Maybe that's what the majority of residents think too. Either way, it has to be addressed if we're to move forward, of only so we know what our options are.
So we can thank Ms. Diamond for raising the issue - and for her courage.
a resident of Community Center
on Mar 22, 2007 at 10:51 am
This thread is specifically about what we do around hiring, compensating and managing employees--and there has been some good thinking expressed at various dimensions of the matter.
On revenue strategy, there have been some separate threads, although not nearly as many. Very few of us, and I am one of them, have been calling for developing a pure, focused revenue strategy, and for some more of our Council Members to make that their priority during their time in office. I talk with Council members frequently, those with whom I have discussed this seem to agree in principal, but it has not been something that to my way of thinking has truly been embraced by them as a whole, or by more than perhaps two of the current council members as their personal "crusade."
Generating revenue is hard! For a variety of reasons, some of the revenue sources that contributed to this town's budget in the past are in decline. Others that are steady reliable contributors are not keeping up with the rate of increase in expenses we are facing as major portions of our infrastructure come due for significant upgrade as they reach the end of their useful lives. To my way of thinking, and I push this hard as a member of Parks and Recreation Commission, we need more "value based pricing" for many of the programs we provide. Not merely cost recovery pricing.
I could go on and on, this is one of my pet issues, but as much as we need to be vigilant on our cost side, there are quite simply demands we are facing in the community that we cannot "save" ourselves into funding, especially if revenues remain stagnant or face more decline. If we had as many people waxing about revenues in this town as we have commenting about costs, maybe we could start to get somewhere.
a resident of Professorville
on Mar 22, 2007 at 11:17 am
I'm not sure why Paul seems to think that pursuing cost savings - particularly with regard to labor expenses in Palo Alto is such a dead end.
Compared to other cities, Palo Alto is swimming in revenue, even after the recent dips associated with the local economy. Any realistic look at the situation reveals that labor costs - specifically wages and particularly benefits have been THE driving force behind the unrelenting rise in expenditure demands.
In other posts Paul seems to have recognized that this is unsustainable. Reversing an unsustainable trend that is backed by an entrenched highly motivated interest group will call for more than the vigilance with respect to costs that Paul alludes to.
I am sure Paul has seen some of the initial reaction from the business community to the tax proposals by some council members. Surely he must recognize that just as he says we cannot "save" ourselves into funding, neither can we tax our way to prosperity.
He is right about the fact that infrastructure in our town requires renewal. What he does not say, is that we are in this situation because, unlike many other cities, we did not plan for this well. So instead of having a healthy infrastructure fund to help with the needed and entirely predictable infrastructure renewal, we have one that has been systematically raided (or failed to be funded - practically the same thing) over the years for other "needs" - including especially employee costs - the subject of this thread.
These kinds of needs are virtually limitless if we don't take steps to address them. I don't think we need to do anything as drastic as intentionally precipitating a union strike as alluded to by another poster, but controlling costs is every bit as hard - maybe harder - than Paul says looking for new revenues is. Perhaps that's why we see so few in the city establishment eager to discuss it directly.
a resident of Community Center
on Mar 22, 2007 at 11:52 am
I never suggested that pursuing cost savings is a dead end. I still maintain that it will not be a slam duck, and you point to the reason why--most of it is in our employee compensation. I even suggested a place to start earlier in this thread on one way to start tackling that.
I also agree with you and I have stated on other strings that since we did not set aside into a lock box reserve monies that could be used to meet the demand to redo our infrastructure, we now face the daunting challenge of figuring out how to fund it. Many communities are faced with this situation, it is one "club" of which I wish we were not a member. But that is where we are. We have to face it.
I have had the benefit of seeing our revenue history and the revenue projections that the City uses to inform its planning assumptions, and it scares the hell out of me. That is why we need to develop a revenue strategy. Bern Beecham's recent idea around taxing businesses--where is the context? How does it fit into an overall revenue strategy? Might be a great idea, might be a terrible idea. It by itself does not a strategy, good or bad, make. Similarly, what do we really need to get out of retail locations at Edewood and Alma? Wouldn't it help to have a clear understanding and road map around such questions, a "master plan" if you will for our revenue streams?
So, don't misread what I am saying, we have some very serious cost issues that must be tackled, and we have some vary serious revenue generation issues that must be tackled at the same time.
Even if we keep the arborist, the tress will generate leaves, not money.
a resident of Midtown
on Mar 22, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Here's data from the Palo Alto 2006 -2007 budgets at:
Web Link
And from the Mountain View budgets at:
Web Link
Palo Alto: population 58,000
Department FTE Hourly Frozen
City Auditor 4.00 0.12
City Clerk 6.75 0.58
City Attorney 10.40 0.51
City Manager 11.50 0.25
Library 43.25 13.61 1
Planning 55.50 1.16
Community Serv 96.25 49.37 3
Admin Services 97.00 1.20 1
Fire 126.00 0.49 1
Police 164.00 3.06
Utilities 213.50 0.71
Public Works 229.00 4.26
Totals: 1072.50 75.35 6
Minus Utlities: 859.00
Mt. View: population 70,000
Department FTE perm Contract
part time
City Auditor
City Clerk 4.00
City Attorney 8.00
City Manager 5.00 1.25
Library 23.00 10.75
Planning 29.00
Community Serv 92.00 11.75 7.52
Admin Services 36.00 2.00 22.00
Fire 86.00 0.50 1.00
Police 143.00 2.50
Utilities N/A
Public Works 122.00 0.50
Totals 555.50 29.25 30.52
It's interesting to note the differences in individual department staffing in the two cities.
The comparison between Palo Alto and Mountain View has been an issue for at least five years that I'm aware of. I, and other residents, keep asking, "Why do we have so many more employees than Mountain View?" The vague answer has been, "Palo Alto has more services."
I don't see what we have that Mountain View doesn't. It has a gorgeous city hall, performing arts center, relatively new library & police & fire department buildings, an Economic Development Division with a "quick response team," lots of sales tax revenue, tremendous redevelopment downtown, transit center, new senior center, Shoreline Park with a big lake, about 30 other parks, . . .
Why can't Council explain why we need twice as many employees as other cities?
Given all the concern over "sustainability," how does the city think we can sustain our compensation expenditures? Cutting $3m/year certainly isn't going to do it. It's not Council's job to guarantee full employment forever. It's Council's job to guard the fiscal health of the city.
a resident of Midtown
on Mar 22, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Sorry I don't know how to make the tabular data appear cleanly on this blog. I guess you'll have to create your own spreadsheet.
There are three columns of staffing for each city. In Palo Alto, it's FTE, Hourly and Frozen. In Mt. View it's FTE, Permanent Part Time, and Hourly. I'll omit the Frozen.
Palo Alto: Population 58,000
City Auditor: 4 FTE, 0.12 hourly
City Clerk: 6.75 FTE, 0.58 hourly
City Attorney: 10.4 FTE, 0.51 hourly
City Manager: 11.5 FTE, 0.25 hourly
HR: 15.35 FTE, 0.03 hourly
Library: 43.25 FTE, 13.61 hourly
Planning: 55.5 FTE, 1.16 hourly
Community Services: 96.25 FTE, 49.37 hourly
Admin Services: 97 FTE, 1.20 hourly
Fire: 126 FTE, 0.49 hourly
Police: 164 FTE, 3.06 hourly
Utilities: 213.50 FTE, 0.71 hourly
Public Works: 229 FTE, 4.26 hourly
TOTALS: 1072.5 FTE, 75.35 hourly
Minus Utlities = 859 FTE
Mt View: Population 70,000
City Auditor: N/A
City Clerk: 4FTE
City Attorney: 8 FTE
City Manager: 5 FTE, 1.25 perm part time
Library: 23 FTE, 10.75 perm part time
Planning: 29 FTE
Community Services: 92 FTE, 11.75 perm part time, 7.5 contract
Admin Services: 367.00 FTE, 2 perm part time, 22 contract
Fire: 86 FTE, 0.5 perm part time, 1 contract
Police: 143 FTE, 2.5 perm part time
Utilities: N/A
Public Works: 122.00 FTE, 0.5 perm part time
TOTALS: 555 FTE, 29.25 perm part time, 30.5 contract
a resident of Downtown North
on Mar 22, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Looks to me like the Council got some 'splainin' to do.
(Not that it seems likely.)
a resident of College Terrace
on Mar 22, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Palo Alto needs to prove to istelf that it has the intestinal fortitude to actually make significant cuts. Frank Benest made some modest suggestions, and he got shot down by the Council.
We, as Palo Alto citizens should reject any new spending, until serious cuts are made. It is OUR money, not the City's money!
We don't need a new strategy. We need some real character.
a resident of Midtown
on Mar 25, 2007 at 4:56 pm
Loyalty needs to be a two-way street, but if the overall cost of in-house gets higher than 120% of the equivalent private sectoer compensation then it is time to either review why our costs are higher and correct, or put the work out to bid.
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text: Thank you so much for this. I was trying to remember the techniique which I had seen demonstrated on line. I have now found the link : Show 704: Circles, Curves, and Chocolate (Dale Fleming) for those of us who are not very good at following written instructions. I have bookmarked your post as a reminder of what to do. This is brilliant.


text:
It is amazing how every generation there is a complaint about the rules have made the game easier, you cant hit now or they were all small and not talented back then or there schedules were smaller etc......etc...... excuses. excuses. excuses. NFL Championships are NFL Championships and the way someone performs in those games are what matters.
Using your logic. How long ago did Joe Montana play?
"Old farts" and "Packers fans" are obviously not the only ones that bring up Bart Starr in the conversation since I am neither. Nice try on your part however.
Last edited by BuffyBlueII; 01-19-2013 at 01:32 PM.
Your comment that Bart Starr, a QB that led his team to 5 NFL Championships and a guy that is a 2 time SuperBowl MVP, is a game manager shows just how little you know about football.