text:
With less than a year to go, fans of "Avengers: Age of Ultron" are getting an extra-special treat courtesy of Marvel Studios.
This week, Entertainment Weekly debuted a slew of new still photos from the London set, including the venerable superhero wardrobe closet.
Looking to blow off a little steam after a long day of work, Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner retreated to Chiltern Firehouse in London, England last night (July 10).
The "Captain America" stud and the "Hurt Locker" hunk did their best to go undetected as the exited out the back of the trendy hotspot following an evening of fun, food and drink.
Making for an interesting night out, Sandra Bullock joined Chris Evans and Chelsea Handler at Cecconi's in Los Angeles on Wednesday (May 7).
The talented trio enjoyed a delicious dinner together and made their way out of the Hollywood hotspot to a mob of awaiting shutterbugs.
It's going to be a profitable weekend for Marvel Studios and Disney, as their new superhero flick "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" made a killing at the box office last night (April 3).
Kicking things off with $10.2 million so far, the Chris Evans-starring movie is expected to bring in between $90 million and $100 million by the time Monday morning rolls around.
As a superhero, Chris Evans has conquered all kinds of evil forces, and this morning (April 1) he reigned over Wall Street.
The "Street Kings" stud joined costar Sebastian Stan at the New York Stock Exchange while promoting their forthcoming film "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," all gussied up in a charcoal suit.
Kicking off his week with some promotional duties, Chris Evans attended a special screening of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" hosted by The Cinema Society and Gucci Guilty last night (March 31) in New York City.
Joined by Sebastian Stan and Cobie Smulders, the bearded hunk greeted fans and press at the after party, held at The Jimmy at the James Hotel, sporting a dapper grey suit.
Given the immense pressure and public scrutiny actors experience these days, it's no wonder Chris Evans is a somewhat reluctant celebrity.
However, the "Captain America" stud made sure to clear up the rumors that he's planning on hanging up his cape during his interview on "Good Morning America" today (March 31).
He's always on the go, and Chris Evans showed up at JFK International Airport in New York City on Sunday night (March 30) ahead of a busy week in Manhattan.
The "Nanny Diaries" hunk looked handsome as he greeted fans and scurried through the terminal, on his way to promote his new film "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," which hits theaters on Friday, April 4th.


text:
SUN VALLEY - It's an autumn rite that spooks every parent to their bones: their children out trick-or-treating on Halloween.
So Los Angeles and Burbank officials offered key tips this morning on how to keep kids safe tonight.
"It's an exciting time of the year, an exceptional treat for our young children," said Capt. Jeffrey Bert, commanding officer of Valley Traffic Division. "But they'll be wearing unusual costumes -- dark -- that you can't see.
"It's important for parents to be extra vigilant."
He was one of more than a dozen Burbank and Los Angeles police, school police and elected city and school officials to hand out Halloween safety advice during a morning news conference at Roscoe Elementary School in Sun Valley.
They told a parade of school kids dressed as Spidermen and Tinkerbells for Halloween to be especially careful in avoiding danger.
They also warned parents and drivers to safeguard young goblins scampering across the city. Each Halloween, children are four times as likely to get hit by a car, police said. Last Halloween, three pedestrians were struck, two of them children.
"We have to make sure, as adults, that one of the scary things this Halloween is not our own driving," said City Councilman Paul Krekorian, standing in front of his 4-year-old daughter Lori, dressed as a pink Fairy Princess. "When these kids will be darting from house to house and in traffic, it's especially important that drivers be vigilant, and slow down, and by all means pay attention, and hang up that phone."
Officials also warned adult Halloween partiers not to drink and drive, that police would be out in force. They also said to be on the lookout for marijuana-laced, look-alike candy.
"This is my absolute favorite holiday. I can't wait to turn into Tinkerbell when I get home tonight," said Los Angeles school board member Nury Martinez. "When you take your kids trick-or-treating tonight, the most important thing you can do is make sure they're safe."
The LAPD Valley Traffic Division said there's no real trick to making Halloween a treat for children. Among their advice for parents:
-- Choose light-colored costumes and attach reflectors. Always escort children and carry a flashlight.
-- Be familiar with where you'll be trick-or-treating, and set a specific time for young children to be out.
-- Know who is trick-or-treating with your kids. Tell them never to enter a stranger's home. Instruct them to walk on the sidewalk, not the street. And inspect all candy before eating.
"By taking these simple precautions, you can have a save and enjoyable Halloween," said Burbank police Capt. Denis Cremins.
Motorists were advised to drive slowly, look for kids in the street and to be careful when entering and leaving driveways.
Children were advised not to trick-or-treat alone and not to take short cuts, especially through alleys. And to look and obey traffic signals when crossing the street.
Cops also advised kids to walk, not run. Never enter a stranger's home. And don't eat candy till they've brought it home.
"The most important thing to remember: we want all our kids back in school tomorrow," said Chief Steven Zipperman of the Los Angeles School Police Department. "Parents, please be cautious tonight."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
May be a newb question but all I see is an option to supply a dictionary file. Is there a way to brute force against the handshake I've gotten. (WPA-TKIP)
Testing my wireless AP so I know what the PW is but since dictionary files would need the exact phrase I don't see that as being very helpful with so many permutations of words.
Thanks - Spyder


text:
Long gone may be the days when flying was a luxury though the handling of the airport's terminal is believed by one travel site to still make all the difference to its passengers.
Travel website Frommer's has released their list of the top 10 best and worst airport terminals in the world.
The ratings were made based on 'cleanliness, services, on-time departures, navigation and the ease of getting to and from a city's center,' USA Today reported.
New York's JFK ranked the worst airport in the world
Current Status: Blessed (1)
Seeded on Wed Jan 18, 2012 6:01 AM
keyboard shortcuts: V vote up article J next comment K previous comment


text:
Schanks Club
Schanks Bar and Restaurant, located on MacLeod Trail South in Calgary, is a bright, spacious and modern club offering a little something for everyone. Schanks bar and restaurant offers its guests fun and interesting activities from pro sports games to trivia challenges. Being a large facility, Schanks can accommodate up to 600 people. For food you can choose from a large selection of chicken, steak and pasta. Not only that but they have a large appetizers menu. Schanks also offers its services to corporate and business functions.
Schanks Hours of Operation:
Monday to Sunday: 11am-2am
Schanks Menu Prices:
Average cost: $15 CDN
Reservations are advisable.
Location(s) of Business
9627 MacLeod Trail South,Calgary,Alberta,T2J 0P6cff69fd


text: Ingo Weinhold <ingo_weinhold@xxxxxx> wrote: > On 2010-11-23 at 18:15:25 [+0100], axeld@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: > > Log: > > * bonefish is getting sloppy: applied r39584 to console.cpp as well > > :-) > If the few lines of actual changes hadn't been obfuscated by hundreds > of > lines of coding style changes, I might not have overlooked it. :-) Yeah, that was indeed a pretty messy commit, sorry for that! > BTW, what was this driver used for again? That's what runs GDB's full screen console. Bye, Axel.


text:
Basementsaver WP Water Powered Sump Pumps
Basementsaver WP Water Powered Sump Pumps are high quality water powered backup sump pumps, made with corrosion-resistant materials, engineered for ultra-reliable zero-maintenance performance in Your basement sump. They are renowned for their faultless performance in ultra-reliably protecting the basements of homes and commercial premises all across the USA and Canada without any required maintenance.
Basementsaver WP-Series Water Powered Sump Pumps are available in 3 models:
WP Water Powered Sump Pump Installation is simple - All Basementsaver sump pumps and backup sump pumps are specifically designed for installation by the average homeowner. Every WP-Series water powered sump pump unit comes with a fully illustrated set of instructions that anyone who is moderately handy can easily follow. Additionally, to really simplify installation for the absolute novice I highly recommend the Basementsaver Easy-Fit Solderless Plumbing Kit which makes running a water supply to your water powered sump pump quick and foolproof. If you ever need help just e-mail email@example.com or Call 1-866-374-3977 for expert sump pump advice.
Basementsaver is based right here in Western New York! All Basementsaver sump pumps and backup sump pumps come with a Basementsaver manufacturers warranty and a separate 30 Day no quibble guarantee - so I proudly offer You the chance to put one of their ultra-reliable sump pump AND backup sump pumps systems in Your basement.
Home | About Us | Custom Homes | Custom Townhouses | Expert Advice | Development | Case Study | Employment | Contact Us | Flash
Under Construction | Ranches | New Homes >1600sqft | New Homes >2000sqft | New Homes >3000sqft
Sump Pumps | Amish Hardwood Furniture | Building Your Own Home | New Home Construction | New Home Builders | Site Map
Copyright© Highview Homes, Inc. 2002
UK Software Services, Inc. - Web Site Design, Hosting and Promotion, NY


text:
LAST year's Ironman event brought almost £2.7 million to Bolton's economy, it has been revealed.
Figures released by organisers show that athletes and visiting spectators spent an estimated £2,693,343 in the borough — a five per cent increase on 2011.
On July 22 last year more than 1,500 athletes from 34 countries converged on Bolton for the fourth annual Ironman UK.
It started with a 2.4-mile swim at Pennington Flash, a 112-mile bike ride through Rivington, Chorley and Adlington and a 26.2-mile run to Bolton town centre.
Ironman's organisers surveyed 220 competitors and found that each brought an average of 2.2 spectators with them and stayed 2.7 days, spending an estimated total of £2,693,343, an increase of £120,880 on 2011.
Chris Wooley, who owns Broomfield House hotel in Wigan Road, Deane, said his takings doubled during the event.
He said: "We made about £1,500 to £2,000 over and above what we normally get.
"It was a boost and these days everything helps.
"The staff coped well even though we were up cooking breakfast at 3am. We normally do it at 8.30am.
"And we had guests from all over the world — Australia, Holland, Germany, Spanish, all sorts.
"We had about 35 people staying altogether and up to about 16 of them were competitors."
Cappuccinos catering firm in Knowsley Street provided the food for race stewards last year.
Owner Jackie Muller said: "It was a boost to us but more importantly it was a boost to Bolton.
"It was fantastic and a great event for the town.
"We're really looking forward to it coming back."
This year's event will take place on Sunday, August 4, but has already sold out.
Kevin Stewart, managing director of Ironman UK and Ireland, said: "This year's race has sold out in a record nine weeks, which clearly demonstrates howmuch our athletes enjoy racing in and around the town of Bolton, further helped by the amazing atmosphere and support from the local crowds."
The leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Cliff Morris, said: "Despite the economic conditions it's fantastic news that there was an increase in spend compared to 2011.
"This just shows how important events like Ironman are for our local economy, and particularly for our town centre."


text:
''Nagamachi Yuzen Kan
(former 'Saihitsuan' )
is a only Kaga Yuzen studio in Kanazawa city in Japan that is available for public.(Kaga Yuzen is a technique for hand-painting 'Kimonos'.) It locates 3 minutes on foot from the Nagamachi Samurai District which is one of the representatives of the old castle town in Kanazawa city.
You can look our craftsman painting colorful patterns onto silk. And you can perform coloring experience, fixation experience of a Kimono, etc
'Kaga Yuzen club'
introduces the feature, history, works, etc. of Kaga Yuzen,
Copyright (C) 2004 kagayuzen club. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Frederick Page wrote:
> Hallo Jesse,
> Jesse Guardiani schrieb am 08. February 2005:
>>I only have one problem with the new tab system: When I am editing
>>a rule in the WAN tab, there is no easy way to cancel the edit operation
>>and go BACK to the WAN tab.
> Gee, ever wondered what the "BACK" button on your web-browser does?
I was always told, as a web programmer, to never force the user to
rely on the back button. But yes, ultimately you're right. "Back" works.
Jesse Guardiani, Systems Administrator
WingNET Internet Services,
P.O. Box 2605 // Cleveland, TN 37320-2605
423-559-LINK (v) 423-559-5145 (f)


text:
Arnie Malham
Founder/President of Malham Leverage Group
After graduating from the University of Mississippi in 1989 with a degree in finance, Arnie spent a year in First American National Bank's training program. He then spent four years in sales at WTVF, Nashville's local CBS affiliate.
The Agency
In 1994, Arnie launched cj Advertising (cj), an agency focused solely on growing personal injury law firms. Built on a foundation of financial comparison models extracted from his bank experience and advertising insight gained from his time at the TV station, the agency grew rapidly as hard work and client loyalty paid off.
cj Advertising grew to become the largest, full-service legal advertising agency in the country, with gross revenues topping $40 million for 45 firms in more than 70 markets nationwide. cj gained recognition in multiple publications as one of Nashville's best places to work and was the 2012 winner of the Nashville Business Journal's "Best in Business" award.
The Intake
In 2000, Arnie launched Legal Intake Professionals (LIP), a 24-hour call center exclusively for personal injury law firms. Today, LIP's 75+ intake specialists answer 20,000 calls a week for more than 225 law firms throughout North America. Refusing to be labeled a call center, Legal Intake Professionals has created a legendary work environment for its specialists that allows them to deliver legendary call experiences for their clients.
This niche service and culture are as rare as its abundantly high internal and external net promoter scores.
The Club
After internally running an innovative pay-to-read program for over 7 years within the agency, BetterBookClub.com was launched in late 2014 so that others could implement this overwhelmingly effective platform for their teams. Endorsed by thought leaders, authors, and business owners, use of BetterBookClub.com is spreading rapidly across the country, the continent, and the globe.
Additional Achievements
- Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year, Regional Finalist - 2009
- EO (Entrepreneur's Organization) Nashville Chapter, President - 2010
- DiJulius Secret Service Summit, Highest rated speaker in event history - 2012
- EO Nerve (Entrepreneur's Organization, Regional Event) Learning Chair – 2015
What Arnie Believes
Arnie believes that different is better than good; that outliers are fascinating; that mindset is everything; and he has no problem with getting it wrong until he gets it right.
Conversation Starters
Ask Arnie about: his bride (of 20 years), his kids, his dog, EO, Scotch on the rocks, cigars on the porch, the book he's reading, or (if you're really daring) what cj stands for.


text:
Newton's law of gravity
Newton's law of gravity is the universal law, put forward by Isaac Newton in 1687, which states that the force of attraction between two bodies is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Although still applicable for most everyday and astronomical purposes, it has been supplanted by Einstein's general theory of relativity.
Related entry gravity
Related categories• GRAVITATIONAL PHYSICS
Home • About • Copyright © The Worlds of David Darling • Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy • Contact


text:
- Oct 13th - 14th, 2017
- Jan 20th - 21st, 2018
- Saturday 9:00am – 4:00pm
- Sunday 9:00am – 3:00pm
- General: $5.00
- Children 12 & under: Free
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
The Akron Gun Show will be held on Oct 13th - 14th, 2017 in Akron, New York. This Akron gun show is held at Newstead Fire Hall and hosted by Niagara Frontier Gun Shows. All federal, state and local firearm ordinances and laws must be obeyed.
Free raffle ticket with paid admission!
85 Tables


text:
Project management learning and development is so much more than taking a technical based project management training course once in a blue moon. From the enquiries we have received over the years, it is obvious that many project management professionals do take their development seriously but sometimes just need a little advice or guidance on what is best for the next steps in their careers.
Arras launched its own Training Directory earlier this month aimed at;
- Offering explanations of all types of training available, right down to the certifications and courses so popular today,
- Feature training providers that offer popular courses and bespoke courses in a wide variety of project management topics
- Helping project management professionals make informed decisions about how they choose to spend their training and development budgets
For this month's edition of Project Management Tipoffs, we've handed editorial content over to the trainers who've jumped on board in full-embrace of the goals of the Training Directory.
Have a look through current, popular and timely areas of learning and development in the project management field, and find out more about the training market from the members of the new Project Management Training Directory from Arras People. This year, 2011, we want the project management community to think about a "Year of the Professional" and ask themselves, am I moving in the right direction with my career development this year?
Is the PMO a Training Centre?
Words: Cornelis Vonk, ESI International
In the latest edition of The State of the PMO 2010 (.pdf) that is compiled by our PMI colleague J. Kent Crawford PMP®, it is stated that PMOs are increasingly responsible for training and development functions:
- 75% are responsible for PM coaching and mentoring
- 63% are responsible for PM training curriculum development and coordination
- 58% are responsible for providing the training.
54% have a training programme in place.
This is, according to the report, a major reason why PMOs are considered to have improved their capability and accountability compared to result of previous reports.
The type of training is mixed over the different stages of maturity of a PMO; a mature PMO provides less training on basic skills and the use of project management software, and more on advanced skills and leadership.
It would therefore be useful to continue to focus on training programmes for the project management community in the PMOs you are responsible for. Also, because a mere half of the PMO staff is PMP® and on average only 8 days per year are dedicated to project management training.
As PMOs become more and more responsible for project management training, they also are also going to be asked to give guidance as how to measure the business value of such training. Many PMOs are designing measurement programmes that can demonstrate the link between the gain in project management competency to business outcomes as time-to-market, saved opportunity costs related to the on-time delivery, etc. Only if data is available on performance of projects before and after the training effort, the result of these measurements will make sense.
The following model from Donald Kirkpatrick and Jack Phillips, can help to evaluate training. They suggest to measure at 5 levels:
Level 1: Reactions (the "smiley" sheet)
- Did participants like the training they received?
Level 2: Learning
- Are participants confident that they have learned something from the training programme?
Level 3: Behaviour/Application
- Are participants able to apply what they learned in the training programme back on the job?
Level 4: Results/Business Impact
- Did the training show improvement in efficiencies, productivity, profits, costs, reduced turnover?
Level 5: ROI
- Did the training programme show a positive ROI?
The picture at the top of the page illustrates the above and comes from the publications.
The first 2 or 3 levels are relative easy to implement, if not already in operation. In trying to get to grips with level 4 and 5, when measuring the value of improved project management competency, is a project in itself.
Level 4 from the above model attempts to look at the business results that accrued because of the training. Kirkpatrick gives the following guidelines that can be useful to get started on this measurement:
- Use a control group if practical
- Allow time for results to be achieved
- Measure both before and after the programme, if practical
- Repeat the measurement at appropriate time
- Consider costs versus benefits
- Be satisfied with evidence if proof not possible
Level 5 from Phillips measures the dollar value impact of training. He provides the following guidelines:
- Use a control group, if practical
- Allow time for results to be achieved
- Determine the direct costs of the training
- Measure a productivity or performance before the training
- Measure productivity or performance after the training
- Measure the productivity or performance increase
- Translate the increase into a dollar value benefit
- Subtract the dollar value benefit from the cost of training
- Calculate the ROI
Dr. Phillips has created an ROI Methodology™ that can help PMOs to measure the ROI on organisational learning. This methodology is illustrated at right and also is published by them.
As said, measuring the benefits of project management training is a project in itself. But if you cannot afford another project, just measuring the cycle time of projects and reduce that with a few percent, can demonstrate that the project management training has paid for itself.
And a very last point, as you prepare your 2011 budget, you can suggest a level 4 or level 5 project, as well as considering performing competency assessments to find out what the areas are where training is most needed.
Cornelis Vonk of ESI has taught project management and has assisted more than 300 candidates in their preparation for the Project Management Professional (PMP®) exam since 1998. In 2002, the former programme manager and "change agent" for IT mergers with several leading corporations was the project manager of the 5th European Project Management Conference held in Cannes. Certified as a PMP®, Cornelius is a founding member of the France-Sud chapter. He received the PMI® 2002 Distinguished Contribution Award.
Time for Project Managers to Stand Up and Be Counted
As we enter 2011, many project managers face uncertain times ahead. Those in the public sector are unsure what the budget cuts will mean and many in the private sector worry about the impact deficit reduction will have on their projects.
Nevertheless, there are some positive signs: project management has become more professional, and with that professional status comes an increased expectation that project managers will deliver. Sir Peter Gershon set the challenge at the Association for Project Management conference when he said, "the association's time has come, and the only question is whether it can and will rise to the occasion?" He expects project managers to stand up and be counted, and believes they should be using fit-for-purpose tools and strong governance to eliminate the root causes of project failure whilst increasing efficiency. This is both a challenge and opportunity. The opportunity is for "professional project managers to be associated with the maximum chance of project success".
There is an ongoing development of professional project management, which is closely linked to the APM launch of the Registered Project Professional in March 2011. It has been created to set a new professional standard for project managers, based on competence, capability and, most importantly, a proven ability to deliver complex projects. The success of this new standard, in differentiating professional project managers, will be critical to the development of the APM as the true home for project management. But in a recession, will individuals and organisations continue to invest time and effort in growing their project management capability, or will they focus on the short-term demands to cut spending on people development?
A recent survey by The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) is urging managers to embrace the concept of 'training on a shoestring', in light of its research that found 43 per cent of managers expect training budgets to be cut in 2011. CMI chief executive Ruth Spellman says businesses cannot afford to lose another 12 months of training and development in 2011. "Our worry is that by failing to offer adequate opportunities for personal development, bosses risk losing top talent, deepening the already low levels of employee engagement and creating skills shortages at a time when UK plc most needs a skilled workforce to help steer it towards recovery," she said.
This is especially important in project delivery, as research demonstrates that the competence of the people in the project team is one of the most important success factors in the ability of the project to deliver its success criteria. "Business leaders will need to embrace the concept of training on a shoestring in 2011," said Spellman. "They need to consider alternative ways to continue to develop the skills of their staff, or risk failing to put them in the best possible position to take advantage of the upturn when it comes.
"What businesses need is a cost-effective way of continuing to offer training that can be accessed quickly and easily, as and when support is required."
The past three years has seen an exponential growth of social media, blogging and the use of smart phone apps. New media is now being used as an extremely cost effective and high quality way of delivering project management training. Part of this trend has been the Parallel Learning System from Parallel Project Training. Since its launch in January 2010, this new way to learn project management has seen exponential growth, with 38,000 podcast downloads and over 800 APMP study guides sold, this new approach has delivered both significant cost savings but also a higher quality learning experience.
"We are always exploring new ways to develop project managers. Our latest project has been to publish our pre-course material on YouTube. The feedback to the pilots has been extremely positive with a couple of hundred downloads already," said Paul Naybour, Business Development Director at Parallel Project Training.
"The key to this new approach is maintaining integration between the different parts of the learning system," said John Bolton, Programme Development Director. "The online media has to be compatible with the study guide, e-learning package, podcasts and classroom workshops".
Parallel Project Training is not the only organisation investing in new and innovative ways of using mobile technology to develop project management capability - the market for distance and mobile learning is developing rapidly, with a number of providers launching products in this area in 2010. These new approaches to project management development certainly offer significant cost saving over the traditional five-day classroom course. It will be interesting to see how this trend develops over the next few years, as organisations start to seek better value from their limited project management development budgets
Trainingjournal.com - Almost Half of Managers Fear Further Training Budgets Cuts in 2011
Microsoft PowerPoint - The 2008 People Deliver Projects Survey Report (pdf)
Image courtesy Inha Leex Hale and re-used with permission.
Ten Top Tips for Delivering Successful Projects
Words: Trevor Mirams, REDTRAY Ltd.
It has always been important to deliver projects on time and on budget, but these days there is no margin for error. Discover how to achieve project success with these top ten tips...
1. Use tried and trusted methods: Follow standardised practices to maximise productivity, minimise redundancies and improve consistency. PRINCE2® for example, is a tried and tested, recognised method for project management. It means project team members will be able to hit the ground running as they will already be familiar with the terminology and processes, saving valuable time on the project and ensuring ease of communication amongst the project team and key stakeholders.
2. Know your target: How can you hit a target if you don't know what it looks like? The best way to achieve your objectives is to produce a concise 'project product description' so that you have a clear vision of the end goal. This description should include measurable acceptance criteria that have been agreed upon by key stakeholders and, crucially, the project sponsor. Never lose sight of your target as long as the project lasts.
3. Accept change is a reality: A successful Project Manager will tackle change head-on rather than avoiding it. Change Management is an integral part of any successful project. Management of change means you have to think quickly on your feet - change should be justified, its impact assessed and as a result, an appropriate response proposed.
4. Keep stakeholders engaged: Anybody that has an interest in the project at all is a stakeholder; don't underestimate the power of keeping all stakeholders engaged, regardless of their relationship to the project. Remember communication is a two way channel. Communication will help reduce stakeholder resistance to change and help manage expectations.
5. Risk; don't take your eye off the ball: Realise and accept that risk management is unfortunately an ongoing, everyday part of a Project Manager's role. Always build a risk management strategy into your project plan and communicate potential risks to all team members. Anything that could have an impact on your objectives requires attention – ignore at your peril.
6. Monitor progress regularly and frequently: Meeting project deadlines is challenging and the best way to stay on track is to frequently monitor progress against the plans. This way you will be in a position to apply controlling action at the earliest opportunity if progress is not as expected.
7. Delegate, delegate, delegate: It's tempting as the Project Manager to get heavily involved in the actual specialist work of the project and not leave enough time for your own management activities. Remember that your principle role is as the Project Manager and you need to maintain a bigger picture perspective at all times.
8. Quality is key: All project deliverables need to meet success criteria; therefore, quality control is an integral part of any project. Build sufficient time for quality control into your project time-line so that you have an opportunity to iron out wrinkles before project implementation. Prioritising quality control will pay particular dividends in stakeholder satisfaction.
9. Don't hide the truth: As the project manager, you are charged with keeping the project on an even keel, within your boundaries of authority. As soon as it looks likely to deviate beyond those boundaries, don't keep it to yourself and assume that you can recover it. Escalate to Senior Management immediately and you'll receive their support for your recommendations. Senior Management does NOT like unpleasant surprises at a later date!
10. Learn from every project: Evaluate each project and turn it into a valuable learning experience. Lessons learned will lead to continuous improvement and impact both the success of your career and that of future projects.
Video from ChangeQuest: "Project Management Communication"
'The Project Manager's Story' illustrates why projects so often go wrong, and offers hints on how to keep our projects on track for success.
ChangeQuest offers a powerful base of traditional project management skills, blended with a deep understanding of the behavioural issues associated with communication and the management of change. Through our training and coaching programmes, organisations and individuals can work towards the delivery of more effective change, on a consistent basis.
Principal Consultant Ranjit Sidhu of ChangeQuest, who oversaw the content in this video, is an experienced trainer, facilitator, and project management consultant with over 20 years' experience gained on global projects spanning Europe, North America and Africa. Her credentials include being an accredited trainer for the Change Management Practitioner qualification; a PRINCE2® and Agile Project Management accredited trainer; a coach and certified trainer of NLP; and an Assessor for the APM Practitioner.
The Benefits of Pragmatic Agile Project Management
"Pragmatic Agile" is the evaluation and transition to Agile best practices, alongside the current methods, systems and practices of a business, rather than a carte-blanche replacement of the existing – and potentially valuable – processes and methods that exist within an enterprise.
It is RADTAC's approach to transforming project management practices that is "pragmatic" rather than "prescriptive".
Pragmatic Agile enables a business to adapt and evolve their methods and practices to a position where Agile may be applied as appropriate to the specific needs, personnel and culture of the business environment, and for a Pragmatic Agile project delivery framework to be agreed and introduced to the project, programme or enterprise.
Back in 2001, the Agile Alliance formalised the Agile Manifesto that encapsulates the guiding principles of 'Agile' methods. 10 years on, and Agile practices and frameworks have evolved considerably, through trial, practise and application. No longer are "Scrum" and other Agile frameworks the new kids on the block and now, for the first time, we are truly seeing a move towards Enterprise-wide Agile implementation. With this comes the requirement for everyone involved in project and program management to understand and consider the value of Agile to their organisation and as part of their own Continuous Professional Development.
With experience across the full suite of Lean and Agile frameworks, RADTAC has developed a pragmatic approach to the application of these methods across a wide range of businesses. This article outlines the case for this Pragmatic Agile approach.
Agile Expansion
RADTAC believes that the case for Agile is now proven. Agile has escaped the confines of the technical community from whence it originated, and is now on the business agenda of all forward-looking companies.
The challenge now is how to successfully expand Lean and Agile into this wider business community – and to do this so as to deliver on the promise of improved project delivery – in terms of time, cost and quality.
To do this, the wider business community, including project management professionals in particular, needs to understand and embrace Agile. They also need, however, to understand the practical considerations and complexities of these new approaches; and the very real challenges that those working in traditional environments face when trying to utilise them. Against this ever-changing background, today's project management professional needs to understand how to apply Agile approaches effectively.
The Case for Pragmatic Agile
Agile methods have evolved and now include many approaches – Scrum, Extreme Programming, Lean and Kanban, the Open Unified Process and DSDM to name but a few – each embracing the principals of the Agile Manifesto and each being "similar but different".
Being "similar but different" has caused some confusion for organisations when considering a move towards Agile, with individual suppliers and consultants each prescribing their preferred Agile method.
To sidestep this confusion and avoid any pre-selected preference, from the very beginning RADTAC took the pragmatic view that the appropriate Agile methods should be selected in discussion with the client's business, and will work best when introduced alongside the existing practices of the business, rather than used to replace those practices in a single transformation step. In essence evolution and not revolution, working with the business to deliver change that is sustainable, not just implemented when the consultants are on site.
This approach enables the client and the business to adapt and evolve to a position where Agile may be applied as appropriate to the needs, personnel and culture of their specific environment.
RADTAC describes this unique approach as "Pragmatic Agile" – an approach that applies practices that are Pragmatic and not Dogmatic; Progressive and not Prescriptive.
No Assumptions
With Pragmatic Agile, we recognise that Agile methods may not be appropriate in every circumstance, and that not all client Business and Project Managers may be open to the idea of using Agile for the delivery of their projects.
Pragmatic Agile makes no assumptions as to the best delivery method for a project, but enables and encourages clients to discuss, select and apply those Agile and traditional best practices that will deliver to the specific environment of their business.
Uniquely, Pragmatic Agile also recognises that the client may require, or need, to continue with traditional project delivery methods alongside contemporary Agile project methods – perhaps for the maintenance of legacy systems themselves. Pragmatic Agile allows for this practical inevitability, without compromising Agile project delivery.
'Pragmatic Agile' does not mandate usage of one particular agile approach to the exclusion of all others; it does not encourage 'method wars'. Rather, it recommends a practical blend of agile frameworks that work together in today's organisational environment, integrated into the current practices that work. Once this baseline is established, the whole programme or organisation delivery capability can be evolved together.
This is illustrated in the RADTAC Pragmatic Agile Model.
RADTAC Pragmatic Agile Model
The RADTAC Pragmatic Agile model integrates an appropriate framework of Agile and non-Agile methods, either proprietary or in house (if they work then continue to use them) to optimise delivery, and with the appropriate elements of each method applied - pragmatically and dynamically.
It is generally recognised that Agile can enable individual development teams to deliver high-quality, effective products. However, the co-ordination and management of turning those developments into projects and delivering the benefits expected from an integrated programme / portfolio of change remains costly and difficult – without the pragmatic application of Agile Project Management.
So, to deliver the promise of Agile to the entire project and therefore to the business, the industry needs a Pragmatic Agile framework that includes appropriate best practices for both Project Management and software development: practices that together provide the Agile delivery focus, enable the control and integration of the full Agile and non-agile deliveries, and enable the project to deliver co-ordinated benefits to the business.
In essence we need to establish the 'glue' to bond "best practice" delivery and management methods together, to meet the requirements of the client business, and to enable Agile and non-Agile elements and/or projects to co-exist, to interrelate – and to deliver value.
Pragmatic Agile is the 'glue', and can be delivered through common Agile frameworks such as Scrum, eXtreme programming, Lean, Kanban, DSDM or the Open Unified Process.
The case for Agile methods is proven, having evolved through practice over the last fifteen or more years - from the definition of approaches such as XP and DSDM in the mid-'90's, creation of the Agile Alliance in 2001 and the Scrum Alliance in 2004 through the emergence of Lean and Kanban to the APMG's new Agile Project Management certification in 2010.
By their very nature, Agile methods will continue to evolve, and such evolution should be embraced as an opportunity for improvements and further benefits.
Many large corporate organisations have trialled Agile approaches; with too many concluding that Agile either does not suit their existing practices and procedures or that it is just too difficult to implement in a single step, or large environment.
Therefore to remedy this, the route to the successful transition to Agile – and the recognition of the significant benefits that may be achieved through such a transition – needs to take account of existing systems, methods and priorities, to include them where appropriate and to avoid unnecessary large, single steps.
Pragmatic Agile enables any organisation to begin a low-risk transition towards Agile and the significant benefits that Agile can deliver.
Some Key Considerations When Selecting a Training Provider
It is clear that for the next few years, there's going to be a real tightening of belts across all industry sectors as the public sector deal with imposed austerity measures and the private sector struggle in a challenging economic environment. All organisations are naturally looking at ways to cut costs and improve efficiency, whilst at the same time maintaining appropriate levels of output and quality.
One of the areas that can sometimes come under scrutiny in an economic downturn is training. Budgets are often cut altogether, or at least reduced as organisations identify an easy short term cost saving.
However, with the economic challenges ahead, there is likely to be an increase in business change initiatives as organisations introduce new or different ways of working. Therefore, employing individuals who are competent in performing a Project role is critical to bringing about those changes successfully. Whilst there can be a temptation to cut training budgets, now more than ever organisations should invest in making sure their people have the adequate skills and knowledge to perform their role competently. Equally, with an uncertain job market, individuals need to ensure that they are appropriately skilled as well as professionally qualified to maximise their marketability.
What both organisations and individuals need to do is take a smarter approach to training to ensure they get the maximum return on their investment. Below are a few questions that are worth considering before embarking on a training commitment:
Is the purpose to gain accreditation or to increase competency?
When a training course includes an exam-based qualification, e.g. PRINCE2, it is invariably the case that a significant proportion of the course duration will be devoted to learning how to pass the exam. If, however, the objective is to increase skills and competency, then it's worth looking at non-exam based courses where there isn't an exam-passing agenda. The course duration is then fully geared around skills and knowledge that can be applied in the real world and it can actually mean that a 3 or 4-day course can cover more content that can be useful in the workplace than a 5 day exam-based course.
Which training venue should we use?
Most training companies will offer their own training venue or provide a trainer to deliver the course at the customer's premises. For the client, it tends to be more cost effective if the training happens at the client's premises, as there are no overheads that need factoring into the price.
What about the skills of the trainer?
Some training companies use 'trained trainers' who have never actually worked in the area in which they're teaching. It's certainly worth checking with your training provider that whoever is delivering the course has some real experience that they can bring to the event.
What will the learning environment be like?
Courses that are on a training company's public schedule can involve large numbers of delegates, which undoubtedly dilutes the learning experience as group discussion and individual interaction is much more stifled. It's worth checking beforehand what the maximum delegate numbers are for a course to ensure it's at a level that individuals will feel comfortable with.
Will there be any practical exercises?
It's important that delegates do get the opportunity to work through some practical exercises so that they have a go at using tools and techniques that they've learnt during the course. This in turn will lead to an increase in confidence when they apply their learning in the real business environment. It's worth establishing the extent of any practical exercises, how they are facilitated and their business relevance.
What level is the training aimed at?
Most project management courses are naturally aimed at Project Managers. But what about all the many other project roles, such as Project Support, Team Members, and Project Board Members, that can easily be forgotten about? It's important that delegates are broadly at the same level of experience or performing similar roles to avoid unintended intimidation by more experienced delegates. It also helps to ensure that the course content is at the appropriate level of detail.
Training is an important part of individual and team development. If it's delivered by the right person, in the right way, in the right environment, and is geared around meeting a clear training objective, then there can be a real benefit to both the individual and organisation. Training should remain a key focus within any business but what is important is making sure that there is a real return in terms of added value and tangible benefits. Some training companies will work with you after the event to see what productivity gains have been achieved and help identify additional knowledge gaps.
As we move through the next few years, hopefully there will remain a commitment to training, but also that both organisations and individuals choose their training services carefully to ensure they give their business change initiatives the best possible chance of completing successfully.
Image courtesy rasdourian and re-used with permission.
Certifications for Project Managers and the Importance of PMI
It is critical in any industry to ensure you have the relevant and up to date skills and knowledge in order to be successful. If you are looking to get into the Project Management industry for the first time or a seasoned professional looking to progress your career, the best way to demonstrate your skills is to gain a globally recognised certification.
Professional certifications are an important step in career development, and recognise qualified and competent individuals. Gaining a certification gives you a competitive edge, and the recognition you deserve to excel in your career. Now, more than ever, employers are specifically requesting certifications as a pre-requisite before hiring, as they demonstrate proficiency in tasks specific to particular job roles. From an employers' perspective when looking to hire someone, the decision is made so much easier if that person has the relevant certification for the job role. In today's labour market, you'll often not even get to interview stage without one.
When deciding if certification is right for you, Kathryn James from the Learning People says you should consider the following questions:
- Are you new to the project management industry and looking to kick-start your career?
- Have you been working in the project management industry for a number of years and want to progress your career?
- Would you like to earn more money and have greater job security?
- Are you considering switching jobs and want to make the best impression possible?
- Does your employer require you to stay current with the latest industry developments?
- Are you the kind of person who likes to be the best at what you do?
If your answer is yes to any of these questions then a project management certification may be exactly what you need.
The next step is to choose the right certification for you. There is a range to choose from, and which is the right one for you will depend on a number of factors. It's important to do your research and speak to people with experience in the different project management certifications that are available.
The global leader in project management certifications is the Project Management Institute (PMI). The PMI offers certifications for those just starting out in the industry, as well as for those who have been working as a project manager for a number of years. But what do PMI qualifications mean to the project manager in the UK? Taken from pieces within PMI.org and our own website,
PMI is the world's leading not-for-profit membership association for the project management profession, with more than half a million members and credential holders in 185 countries. Their worldwide advocacy for project management is supported by globally-recognised standards and credentials, an extensive research program, and professional development opportunities.
PMI was the first organisation to offer a credential specifically for project managers, and their certification program remains the global standard. Developed by practitioners for practitioners and representing a diverse global audience, PMI certifications give you a technical and financial edge.
PMI credentials...
- Are flexible- PMI certifications are not based on one specific methodology, so they're flexible and adaptable. You can easily transfer them between industries, market segments and geographic locations.
- Keep you up-to-date- PMI continually conducts in-depth studies to ensure that their credentials actually reflect the current skills, knowledge and best practices you need to succeed.
- Encourage professional growth- You never have to worry about a PMI certification becoming obsolete. The certification maintenance program requires you to earn professional development units (PDUs), which encourage you to continually develop your skills and stay current as the profession changes.
- Help you get ahead- PMI certification offers financial benefits - the Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential increases your salary by up to 10% (according to the PMI Salary Survey - Sixth Edition, 2009) and helps you stand out and better market yourself to prospective employers.
The great news is that these certifications are open to anyone - so no matter what your personal circumstance or work experience, getting a project management certification is achievable. Once you have one, a world of opportunities can open up!
A Trainer's View of Worldwide Certification and You
Call me a cynic but I believe that a lot of project management training is low value. Perhaps I've an unconventional view: 1,000 words won't take you long to decide if there is any value for you in my opinions and approach. The unconventional dimension includes the fact that my training materials are available for free download to individuals using them for personal development.
As a project management consultant and trainer of project managers I hold the PMP, IPMA-D, PRINCE2®, M_o_R® and CGEIT qualifications. I was a PRINCE2® examiner when it was essay-based and taught a variety of PM-related topics. It has been my experience when achieving these badges myself and subsequently teaching exam-crams that project management qualification-oriented training in particular is often very thin on real-world value.
Must-Have Badges
Of course in the contract market exam-crams give a must-have badge: lack of a badge, particularly PRINCE2® in the UK, is an agency filter for CVs into the WPB*. However the skills a non-exam event provides are the job-keeper, stress-reducer and rate-enhancer.
* - Waste Paper Bin
Purpose of PM Qualifications
All entry-level PM qualifications provide the same challenge: "show that you know the vocabulary and framework in our book". That way, two similarly qualified individuals can discuss how to adapt the framework to a specific project.
Having an opinion in these exams is generally a bad idea; it is about "what do we say", not "what do you think". Higher level qualifications demand the lower as entry criteria and do expect opinion via dissertation or viva.
Which Qualifications Might Help
A mix of some facts and my highly subjective view is:
PMP [from the Project Management Institute (PMI): www.pmi.org] is globally recognised. In some circumstances, organisations like the US Department of Defence, and industries like oil and gas insist on sub-contractor staff holding it.
PMP is only available to those with an auditable history of 5 years project involvement (3 years with a Degree) – not hard for anyone involved in non-routine roles to demonstrate. The exam is a long, tough and subtle multiple choice test of your knowledge of "A Guide to The Project Management Body of Knowledge". Questions require the "best" answer from several correct answers. Exam entry criteria include 35 hours training. Realistically, you won't pass without 'schooling' in how to approach the questions and lots of practice. There are some good exam-prep books out there.
There is a lower-level PMI exam called CAPM – I've never heard it mentioned in any industry context I've worked in.
APMP (or the IPMA-D qualification from www.apm.org.uk). The APMP syllabus is arguably the best for the real world. The exam does not require experience, but leads to higher level qualifications that do. APMP is not mandated anywhere I know of (e.g. the UK's largest budget holders: the NHS and Ministry of Defence do not insist sub-contractor staff is APMP qualified). I've never had it specified as a must while PRINCE2® and PMP frequently are.
It strikes me as a Betamax solution – technically better but losing the volume battle. A less commercial asset to you. Of course APM would (and the UK defence industry might) refute that. It is just my impression as a consultant and trainer across engineering, oil and gas, defence, pharmaceuticals, banking and finance. I've worked in Baku- Azerbaijan, Rome and many other places where the recognised badge is PMP. Outside the UK it seems to be squeezed by PMP and in the UK by PRINCE2®.
The APMP syllabus, body of knowledge and a sample of the three-hour written exam are freely downloadable from their web site.
Comparing PMP to APMP is unfair. My observation is that recruitment agency awareness and industry penetration seem to equate them. Knowledge and experience-wise, the comparison should be CAPM to APMP and PMP with APM's APM-PQ (Practitioner Qualification). APM-PQ leads to APM membership and APM are to be the UK's professional chartering organisation.
PRINCE2® is a funny one. For any UK-based PM job in the general commercial world, it is almost a 'must-have' to avoid being filtered out by the agencies before the interview stage. But it also seems to be universally ridiculed as a tool that is NOT to be used in reality (including in the public sector!)
P2 is a CONTROL regime that sits on top of the capabilities PMI and APM describe. P2 assumes you already know how to plan a project, track progress, and manage staff and procurement. These topics are largely omitted from the manual and thus from the exam and thus absent from exam-cram training: there are courses out there that aim to bring P2 into practical application in the real world, mine included. The best course along those lines hammers home what the practitioner truly wants and needs. By contrast, an exam context course rarely provides it.
I know of only one ATO other than mine that say clearly that to be usable P2 training must be extended beyond the manual and this isn't possible in an exam-cram week. However, when extended, then P2 plus insights from either PMI or APM is the bee's knees.
There are many 'Accredited Training Organisations' (ATOs) like mine licensed to run P2 exams. We all find that industry demands 'a certificate in a week'. You should be wary of a couple of things:
1) As is reflected in the theme of this article, I suggest the certificate is the training's target not actual PM competence;
2) When faced with a claimed 100% pass rates ask yourself what you are not being told – e.g. "Is there an elimination test mid-way through your course to protect their statistics?" I only have 90-something % success rates - that's because some course attendees don't put the effort in. Anyone with 80% plus pass rates is giving what the "average" attendee needs to pass.
Ultimately, taking the P2 exam requires no real-world experience. Taken without real experience or a grounding in the omitted and assumed techniques will not equip you to run projects, although it will allow you to avoid agency filtering.
If your focus is general commercial or public sector you need PRINCE2®. Just don't expect mainstream exam-cram training to equip you to know how to run projects if you don't already. If you do, find a suitable trainer and then do the open exams. If you look overseas or to a global sector like oil and gas, then realistically PMP is the only recognised benchmark. Finally if big-bucks is your target, research becoming a trader with Goldman Sachs!
PRINCE2® is a trademark of the Office of Government Commerce in the UK and other countries.
Building a Project and Programme Management Profession
Projects have been used to deliver change for centuries and yet project failures still prevail today. There are many reasons; people still resist change, sponsors of change don't understand their role, estimates are wild guesses and often project management is viewed as a job that people do alongside their 'day job'.
If projects are to be taken seriously, there is a compelling need for project management to be treated as a profession in the same way that accounting or engineering are. Training provides the first few stepping stones in developing a firm foundation for a project management career. Practitioners then acquire further skills, experience and confidence as they deliver programmes and projects.
Organisations not only need a combination of training, competency frameworks and a career structure to create a project management profession but they must also cultivate a culture that welcomes projects and managers who embrace change. When people oppose change there is a far greater burden placed on the project manager to deal with this and in turn deliver successful projects.
Project Managers have to be excellent communicators, resilient yet diplomatic and collaborate with those impacted by change to reach a solution. Advanced training or developing these softer skills through mentoring and coaching programmes is just one way to increase the professionalism of a project manager.
Best practice project management methods, processes and tools are all areas which can help combat project failure levels. Ensuring "fit for purpose" methods for example, there are some excellent examples of best practice methodologies from PRINCE2® (PRojects IN a Controlled Environment) and MSP™ (Managing Successful Programmes). However, processes for managing projects and decision making work best when they fit with the organisation's own business structure and culture. Having the flexibility to adjust project management processes for different levels of risk and complexity in projects is crucial if they are to be well used.
Project managers also need to have good quality information in time to make decisions about their projects. A strong commercial focus and a good grasp of the business outcomes and the benefits of their projects are key aspects of improving the business performance.
These skill sets are crucial to the modern project manager's arsenal. The killer combination of project management theory with the softer skills required to manage the people aspects and the business acumen to successfully deliver projects in, what is often complex and political environments.
It is important then that the provider an individual or company chooses as their training partner must combine these elements. Building a professional project management organisation must include practical development, training, coaching and continual support to build a sustainable, mature and successful project management practice. Packaged correctly, the approach can strengthen the business performance of projects and help to embed the profession of project management within an organisation.
The drive to improve project management standards is ongoing however project management has become a core competency and fixed feature for many organisations. Project management should be treated as a profession and as with many professions; continual learning, development and getting better at what we do will pay dividends as we see project success rates increase.
In This Issue
- Is the PMO a Training Centre?
- Time for Project Managers to "Stand Up and Be Counted"
- Ten Top Tips for Delivering Successful Projects
- Video: "Project Management Communication"
- The Benefits of Pragmatic Agile Project Management
- Some Key Considerations When Selecting a Training Provider
- Certifications for Project Managers and the Importance of PMI
- A Trainer's View of Worldwide Certification and You
- Building a Project and Programme Management Profession
Our Featured Trainers
Quick Links
Social Media Roundup
- Alphabetical Trainers
- Trainers by Course
- Locations for Courses Offered
- Choosing a Training Provider
- Advertise with Arras People
Links Related to This Month's Articles
- PM Solutions - The State of the PMO 2010 (pdf)
- Trainingjournal.com - Almost Half of Managers Fear Further Training Budgets Cuts in 2011
- ProjectFile - The 2008 People Deliver Projects Survey Report (pdf)
- ChangeQuest on YouTube - "The Project Manager's Story"
- Viewable Graph - Local Practices Traditional Waterfall
- PMI.org
Podcasts & Vodcasts
- The Project Management Podcast from Arras People
- Parallel Project Training
- Project Shrink
- The PM Podcast
- PMI Careers Central - Career Advice for New Project Managers
Arras on Twitter
Latest from the Camel Blog
- BBC Pay and Lessons for Project Management Professionals
- Higher Apprenticeships are now a route to a Project Management Career
- Managing Your First Strategic Initiative
- Overcoming Annual Planning with Adaptability
- 5 Common Project Reporting Mistakes to Avoid
- Project Management Career Q&A - Strategic and Business Management Development
- Project Management Careers Q&A - Becoming a Business Agile Coach
- Project Management Careers Q&A: Moving from Manager to Project Manager
- Managing Conflict as a Project Manager
- Project Management Training - Cheap or Value?
PPM Careers Clinics
The Project Management Careers Clinic from Arras People is a 30 minute one-on-one consultation with project management practitioners looking for careers advice.
The careers clinic can be accessed by anyone looking for help and advice in these areas:
- Facing redundancy
- Just started looking for a new job
- Creating a better CV
- Long term unemployment
- Looking to get into project management?
- Looking to make a career switch?
- Frustrated with your job search?
- Need to understand the job market?
- Need advice on project management training?
- Need career development guidance?
Prefer a face-to-face appointment? Find out how to book


text:
Jets RB LaDainian Tomlinson spent last Sunday expressing his teammates' disillusionment with WR Santonio Holmes' divisive behavior in a game New York needed to win for a shot at the Super Bowl, something LT has been chasing for 11 seasons.
Unfortunately for Tomlinson, that Week 17 loss in Miami could mark his final appearance as an NFL player. He was asked Friday on San Diego's XX 1090 if he's ready to hang it up now that his two-year deal with the Jets is set to expire.
"I mean, man, that's a good question honestly," replied Tomlinson. "I don't know as of now. I honestly don't. I am contemplating retirement. That's what I told my coaches and told my agent and everybody. That's exactly what it is. This is the first time in my playing career that I've actually honestly thought about this may be it for me. That's kinda where I am right now."
Could anything entice Tomlinson to play a 12th season even though he's now a role player?
"I think hope of a championship," he said. "Looking at a team and being like you know what there's hope there honestly. Beyond that I think at some point nobody wants to retire from football. That's something that we've done since we were little kids but there does become a time where holding on too long is exactly the wrong thing to do for me."
After nine sterling seasons in San Diego -- the Chargers drafted him fifth overall in 2001 -- Tomlinson joined the Jets in 2010 hoping to secure an elusive ring. He fell one win short of reaching the Super Bowl last year before enduring the disappointment of 2011.
LT rushed for a career-low 280 yards in 2011 but did catch 42 passes for 449 yards as the Jets' third-down back.
If he walks away this offseason, the three-time first-team all-pro and 2006 MVP will retire as the league's fifth all-time leading rusher (13,684 yards). His 162 career TDs -- including a single-season record 31 in 2006 -- are third-most ever.
Hat tip: SportsRadioInterviews.com
Nate Davis is a reporter, blogger and editor who's been at USA TODAY since 2000. He has covered the NFL since 2005. No, he did not play quarterback for Ball State. Davis' succession of our esteemed colleague Sean Leahy at The Huddle is considered a Brady-for-Bledsoe swap by most "insiders."More about Nate


text:
Keding, Gene
E. (27 Feb. 1939 - 22 May 2009)
* Gene E. Keding, 70, of Auburndale died Friday, May 22, 2009, at the palliative care unit at Saint Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield.
Buchanan Funeral Home in Pittsville is handling arrangements.
Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Tuesday, 26 May 2009
AUBURNDALE -- Gene E. Keding, 70, of Auburndale, died Friday, May 22, 2009, at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 28, at Wesley United Methodist Church, Marshfield. The Reverend Ruth Egerer will officiate.
Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Auburndale. Serving as pallbearers will be Joshua Keding, Taylor Keding, Logan Keding, Brent Gust, Matthew Woehrle and Chad Richardson.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Buchanan Funeral Home, Pittsville, and from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Thursday at United Methodist Church. American Legion Post No. 54 of Marshfield will conduct military rites.
He was born Feb. 27, 1939, in Blenker, to Melvin and Mary (Engmann) Keding. He married Thelma Lee Fleming on Dec. 27, 1957, in Fallbrook, Calif. She preceded him in death July 25, 2008. He attended Auburndale grade and high schools.
He went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps from 1954 to 1958, and then worked as an independent contractor for more than 30 years. He served with the U.S. Navy Seabees from 1978 to 1982, and operated a bar in Auburndale from 1984 to 2009.
He enjoyed bowling, camping, playing cards and spending time with his cherished dog, Mocha. He was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Auburndale Lions, Auburndale Volunteer Fire Department, Elks Club of Marshfield and American Legion Post No. 54, Marshfield.
He's survived by his mother, Mary Keding; children, Colleen (Mark) Wilkie of Springbrook, Kevin Keding of Stratford, Konrad J. (Jan) Keding of Medford, Kurtis (Kelly) Keding of Mosinee and Colette Woehrle (Dave Thomas) of Marshfield; 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; brothers Ronald Keding of Marshfield, Jerry (Diane) Keding of Stratford, Larry (Sandy) Keding of Montevideo, Minn., Dean (Joan) Keding of Stratford, Leon (Gail) Keding of Marshfield, Duane (Jean) Keding of Roscoe, Ill., Myron (Kim) Keding of Spencer, Lenny Keding of Mauston, Keith Keding of Marshfield, Darwin Keding of Marshfield and Dennis Keding of Greeley, Colo.; sisters, Betty (Kenny) Spindler of LaSalle, Colo., Shirley Marvin of Marshfield and Patsy (Gerry) Bley of McPherson, Kan.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Thelma Keding, father Melvin Keding, brothers Virgil and Terry Keding and sister Lori Keding.
Keith, Richard
C. (19 Sept. 1936 – 16 Jan. 2009)
* Richard C. Keith, 72, Strawberry Lane Medical and Rehabilitation Center, Wisconsin Rapids, died Friday evening, Jan. 16, 2009, at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Taylor, Vollert and Jennings Funeral Home. The Rev. Mary Bosch will officiate. Entombment will be in Forest Hill Mausoleum. Military honors will be provided by American Legion Post No. 9.
Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Taylor, Vollert and Jennings Funeral Home and from 10 a.m. until the time of services Wednesday. Taylor, Vollert and Jennings Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
A complete obituary will appear in Monday's Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune.
Source: Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune (Wisconsin Rapids, Wood County, Wis.) Monday, 19 Jan. 2009
Richard C. Keith, 72, Strawberry Lane Medical and Rehabilitation Center, Wisconsin Rapids, died Friday evening, Jan. 16, 2009, at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Taylor, Vollert and Jennings Funeral Home. The Rev. Mary Bosch will officiate. Entombment will be in Forest Hill Mausoleum. Military honors will be provided by American Legion Post No. 9.
Rich was born Sept. 19, 1936, in Wauwatosa, to Clarence and Caroline (Trichia) Keith. He was married to Lola Harrison on Jan 17, 1961, in San Diego. The marriage ended in divorce.
He served in the Marine Corps Aviation Branch from 1954 to 1957 in both Japan and the United States. From 1958 to 1962, he served in the U.S. Navy on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Lexington in the far east and Japan.
He worked at Consolidated Papers, Biron Division, from 1962 to 1964. From 1964 to 1989, he worked as a foil cutter operator at Consoweld, and from 1989 to 1991 he worked as a stock handler at Paperboard.
He was a former volunteer worker for Head Start, a Chicago Cub fan, Green Bay Packers fan, Harry Carry fan and a NASCAR enthusiast.
Survivors include his daughters Kay Keith of Port Edwards and Lisa (Patrick) LaBarge of Rudolph; sons, Richard Keith of Brooklyn Park, Minn., Danny (fiancee Tammy) Keith of Nekoosa and Kevin Keith of Wisconsin Rapids; 11 grandchildren, Stacy, Bryan, Josh, Joe, Jake, Trista, Josh, Dylan, Linsey, Rischon and Rashad; five great-grandchildren; two half brothers, Robert (Barbara) Foss of Buhl, Idaho and Jerry Wescott of Minneapolis.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Fred Foss; infant sister, Kay; and daughter-in-law Shelly Keith.
Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Taylor, Vollert and Jennings Funeral Home and from 10 a.m. until the time of services Wednesday.
Julia (14 Feb. 1915 – 23 May 1989)
* PITTSVILLE – Julia Kekhofer, 74, of 9301 County Trunk A, Marshfield, died at 8:30 a.m. today at St. Joseph's Hospital. She had been admitted to the hospital May 9.
Buchanan Funeral Home, Pittsville, is handling arrangements.
*** Note: Her date of birth is from the Social Security Death Index.
Kelk, Jeffry
S. (9 Dec. 1952 – 25 Jan. 2009)
* Jeffry S. Kelk, 56, died Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009, in Marshfield.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Chapel of the Flowers at Wisconsin Memorial Park, Brookfield, where a visitation will be held from 1:30 p.m. until service time.
Burial will take place in Wisconsin Memorial Park Cemetery, Brookfield.
Rembs Funeral Home, Marshfield, is assisting the family.
Mr. Kelk was born Dec. 9, 1952, in Milwaukee to Curtis and Annabelle (Justman) Kelk. He married Kathleen H. Etten on Sept. 4, 1982, in Stevens Point. He had been employed at Stevens Point Country Club for many years.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, a daughter Meredith Kelk, and a son Daniel Kelk, all of Stevens Point. He is also survived by his mother, Annabelle Kelk, and a sister, Jackie (James) Holman, all of Brookfield.
Keller Family Obituaries - Wood County Wisconsin
Edrie L. (1 July 1908 – 19 Mar. 2002)
* PITTSVILLE – Edrie L. Kellerman, 93, Pittsville, died March 19, 2002, in the Palliative Care Unit of St. Joseph's Hospital.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. John Lutheran Church. Burial will be in St. John Lutheran Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Buchanan Funeral Home and from noon to service time Saturday at the church.
She was born July 1, 1908, in Anamosa, Iowa, to Edwin and Doratha (Baumbach) Darrow. She married Edwin W. Kellerman on Oct. 10, 1932, at the Hiles Home in Dexterville. He died in 1970. She did seasonal work at the bean factory and cranberry marsh.
She is survived by her sons, William E. Kellerman of Pittsville and Martin (Rita) Kellerman of Nekoosa; daughters, Martha J. (Howard) Wegenke of Lake Windsor and Joanne L. (Alvin) Pyan of Wausau; seven grandchildren, five stepgrandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
William E. Kellerman (29 July 1933 – 26 July 2006)
Catherine Kelnhofer (9 Sept. 1926 – 18 Mar. 1993)
Kelnhofer, Mae
J. (11 May 1925 – 19 Mar. 2009)
* WISCONSIN RAPIDS -- Mae J. Kelnhofer, 83, of 220 10th Ave. N., Wisconsin Rapids died Thursday, March 19, 2009, at the Wisconsin Rapids Care Center.
Funeral services are at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Wisconsin Rapids. The Rev. James Altman will officiate. Burial will be in St. Kilian's Catholic Cemetery, Blenker.
For visitation, friends may call at Ritchay Funeral Home in Wisconsin Rapids on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Mae was born May 11, 1925, in the town of Holway, Taylor County, to George and Minnie (Larson) Dunkel. She married George F. Kelnhofer on June 30, 1946, in Blenker. He died March 14, 1994.
Mae was employed at Consolidated Papers Inc. for 23 years, retiring on July 31, 1986, as a word processor. She was a longtime member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, loved to play cards, enjoyed sewing and knitting, going to the Senior Center and loved her dogs, Tiffany and Mitzi.
Mae is survived by her daughter, Joan (Roger) Spice of Nekoosa; three grandchildren, Amy (Mike) Birling of Morrisville, N.C., Lori (Dave) Hansen of Sun Prairie and Ryan (Cassie) Spice of Farmington, Minn.; six great-grandchildren, Ty and Alec Birling, Brooklyn, Ethan and Luke Hansen and Mackenzie Spice.
Mae is also survived by brother, Vernon (Sandra) Dunkel of Rib Lake; and four sisters, Alva Keith of Wisconsin Rapids, Marlene (Stanley) Kulczyski of Grafton, Judy Dunkel of Rib Lake and Carol Zimdars of Port Washington.
Mae was preceded in death by her parents; husband, George; son, Jimmie; sister, Marjorie; and two brothers, Donald Dunkel and Kenneth Dunkel.
Memorials can be given to St. Lawrence Catholic Church or to Assumption High School.
Ritchay Funeral Home in Wisconsin Rapids is handling all arrangements.
Sylvius G. (3 Aug. 1914 – 27 June 2002)
* PARK FALLS -- Sylvius G. Kelnhofer, 87, Park Falls, died Thursday June 27, 2002, at Park Manor Nursing Home in Park Falls. He was born on August 3, 1914, in Blenker, Wis., the son of Joseph and RoseMary Kelnhofer.
His early life and schooling were in Auburndale and then Park Falls. He was a veteran of the United States Army serving during WW II. On September 6, 1947, he married June Pauline Radlinger in Park Falls. Sylv worked for the Roddis and Hines Lumber Companies and then for the Flambeau Paper Mill in Park Falls for 31 years until his retirement. He was a member of the Park Falls VFW and American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, and the Paper Makers Local 445 Union.
He is survived by his wife June of Park Falls; three brothers: Arnold (Katherine) Kelnhofer of Appleton; Roman (Marty) Kelnhofer of Stevens Point; and Dennis (Lynn) Kelnhofer of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; two sisters: Hildegarde Hilgart of Marshfield; Mildred Laglois of Milwaukee; and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Michael, four sisters: Rita, Irene, Aurelia, and Veronica, and an infant brother.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday from St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Park Falls. Fr. James Jackson will officiate.
Burial will follow at Nola Cemetery with military rites under the auspices of both the Park Falls American Legion and VFW Posts.
A visitation will be held at the church on Sunday from 4 until 8 p.m. with a Parish Prayer Vigil at 7 p.m.
The Novitzke Funeral Home, Park Falls, is handling the arrangements.
Kempf, Albert
E. (13 Oct. 1912 – 15 Sept. 2000)
* Albert E. (Emil) Kempf, 87, of Arpin, died Sept. 15, 2000 at St. Joseph's Hospital's Palliative Care Unit where he was admitted Sept. 8.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. John's Lutheran Church in Auburndale. The Rev. David J. Dahlke, pastor, will officiate. Joyce Weiler will be the organist with congregational singing.
Burial will be in Arpin Cemetery in the town of Arpin. Pallbearers will be Dennis Kempf, Leonel "Lee" Kempf, Randy Kempf, Donavon and Darryl Kempf, Gary Carlson, Sr., Sam Guralski and Richard Ellenbecker.
Visitation will be at the Rembs/Kundinger Funeral Home from 4-8 p.m. Monday and from 10 a.m. until service time Tuesday at the church.
Albert Kempf was born Oct. 13, 1912 in East Bloomfield to William and Amelia (nee Klawitter) Kempf. He attended parochial school in East Bloomfield and graduated from the eighth grade.
He married Leona H. Hartfiel Jan. 30, 1932, at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Weyauwega. He then began farming in the East Bloomfield area. In 1939 they both moved to the Arpin area where Albert continued to farm and do carpentry work, In 1958, he retired from farming and continued to work as a carpenter. In 1965, Albert retired from carpentry work. He was very active with St. John's Lutheran Church and was devoted to church duties.
Albert Kempf is survived by two sons, Vernon – (Delores) Kempf of Auburndale and Alroy (Elaine) Kempf of Arpin; eight grandchildren, Diane (Richard) Ellenbecker of Auburndale, Dennis (Debbie) Kempf of Arpin, Leonel (Debbie) Kempf of Arpin, Randy (Cathy) Kempf of Auburndale, Gary (Kathy) Carlson, Sr. of Auburndale and Sam (Judy) Guralski of Auburndale; and 15 great grandchildren; Sarah Ellenbecker, Amy (Mark) Wojciechowksi, Lisa Ellenbecker, Laura Ellenbecker, Gary Carlson Jr., Jessica and Jason Haumschild and Danielle, Dustin, Jennifer, Elizabeth, Travis, Kimberly, Matthew and Ariel Kempf.
Albert is predeceased by his parents; his wife on June 19, 1996; one grandson, LaVern Kempf; two sisters and three brothers.
The Kempf family requests that memorials be sent in Albert's name to the St. John's Lutheran Church Sunday School or Vacation Bible School.
Patrick (5 July 1956 – 10 Feb. 2009)
* Patrick Kenney, 52, of Marshfield, formerly of Tomahawk, passed away Feb. 10, 2009, at his residence.
Pat was born July 5, 1956, the son of William and Helen (Hoffman) Kenney. He was a 1974 graduate of Tomahawk High School, a 1984 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh majoring in physics, and received his master's degree in instructional technology from the University of Houston in 1993.
Pat lived in Houston, Texas, for many years, and later moved to Marshfield. He was formerly employed as an instructional designer with Marshfield Clinic.
He is survived by a brother, J. Bill Kenney; a niece, Gretchen Jon Hanson of Eleva; an aunt, Eunice Hoffman of Deforest, Ill.; and his former wife, Cindy Wong of Houston, Texas.
Pat is further survived by one great-nephew and one great-niece, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives in Canada.
A private graveside service for Pat Kenney will be held at a later date.
Krueger & Sons Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Isabelle F. (13 July 1917 – 17 Jan. 2009)
* Isabelle F. Kennow, 91, of Marshfield died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at Saint Joseph's Palliative Care. Arrangements are pending at Rembs Funeral Home, Marshfield.
Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Monday, 19 Jan. 2009
Isabelle F. "Isy" Kennow, 91, Marshfield, died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at Saint Joseph's Palliative Care.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church. The Rev. Donald Meuret will officiate and Suzanne Golden will be the organist for Michael Gonering as soloist. Burial will take place in Gate of Heaven Cemetery and grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
The visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Tuesday at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church. Rembs Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Mrs. Kennow was born July 13, 1917, in the town of Scott, Columbia County, to John and Lucy (McGrath) Ryan and moved with her family to Loyal at the age of one. She was a 1935 graduate of Loyal High School. On August 30, 1941, she married Wilder W. Kennow at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Loyal. He died Nov. 26, 1987.
Isabelle worked as a telephone operator in Loyal and later became a nursing assistant at Saint Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield, until her retirement.
Isabelle was very artistic. Some of the things she enjoyed were cooking, crocheting, drawing, knitting, painting ceramics and sewing. She was very proud of her family and her home.
She is survived by her children, Rodney of Loyal, Lucy Ann (John) Scheuer, Mary Jo and Kevin (Sara), all of Marshfield. She is also survived by seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren, Melissa (Ian) Bell and their son Aidan; David Scheuer and his children, Karen and Joseph; Patrick (Dannielle) Scheuer and their children, Hannah and Ryan; Steven (Tisha) Scheuer and their daughters, Onna and Faith; Michael (Carrie) Scheuer and their children, Megan, Drew and Luke; and Monica and Amy Kennow. She is further survived by a sister, Gladys Ryan of Loyal.
She was predeceased by her husband, her parents, five brothers and five sisters.
Memorials may be designated in her name to Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church or Saint Joseph's Hospital.
Wilder W. Kennow (23 Aug. 1915 – 26 Nov.
Bernice Mildred (19 Oct. 1925 – 7 Mar. 2009)
* Bernice Mildred Kenyon, 83, of Marshfield, formerly of Tomah, died Saturday, March 7, 2009, at her home in Marshfield.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2009, at the First United Methodist Church in Tomah. Interment will follow in LaGrange Cemetery in Tomah. Hansen-Schilling Funeral Home of Marshfield is assisting the family with arrangements.
She was born October 19, 1925, in Iowa, to Clarence and Stella (Droulard) Barrett. She married James Kenyon on February 14, 1946, in Texas. He preceded her in death. She worked as an accounting clerk for NASA.
She is survived by her son Daniel (Mary Jane) Kenyon, of New Carrolton, Md.; daughter Dianne Schalow, of Marshfield; five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and brother Harry (Zoe) Barrett.
Keogh, Rita
Arlie (3 Oct. 1916 – 21 Jan. 2009)
* Rita Arlie Keogh, 92, Marshfield, formerly of Green Bay, died Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009, at Palliative Care at Saint Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield.
Rita was born Oct. 3, 1916, to the late Andrew and Arlie (Gonse) Cuish and grew up in Green Bay. She graduated from West High School in 1935. In 1937, she graduated from beauty school. In 1938, she moved with her family to Alaska Lake. She married Jeremiah J. Keogh on Nov. 8, 1938. They lived in many cities throughout the United States during their early married life while Jeremiah was in the military service. They returned to Green Bay in 1954, and other than living in Eau Claire for a few years in the late 1960s, Rita remained in Green Bay until June of 2002. Rita was a member of St. Jude Parish. She and her husband celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 1998. From 2002 until April of 2008, Rita lived at the Angelus Retirement Center in Marshfield. She then moved to the Continental Manor in Abbotsford.
She is survived by her son, Andrew J. Keogh and his wife, Kristine, Marshfield. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Sarah H. Keogh, Milwaukee; John A. Keogh, Chicago; and Patrick J. Keogh, along with his wife, Tiffany and children, Julius, Darnell and Jordan, all of Madison; a cousin, Mary Luedeman, Green Bay; and by her best friend, June Burch, also of Green Bay.
Rita was preceded in death by her husband, Jeremiah, in 1998; and by her mother and father.
Friends may call at Blaney Funeral Home, 1521 Shawano Ave., Green Bay, from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday.
The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home with Ann Froelich, pastoral associate, officiating. Entombment will be in Allouez Chapel Mausoleum.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to either your local United Way or to a charity of your choice.
Rita's family would like to thank all those who cared for her in her last years, June Burch, Rosemary Mitchell, the people at both the Angelus and the Continental Manor, and Saint Joseph's Hospital Emergency Room and Palliative Care staffs.
William F. (17 Oct. 1905 – 20 July 1991)
* RACINE – William F. Keppert, 85, Racine, father of Mrs. Harry H. (Shirley) Miller of the town of Rock, died at 12:02 a.m. today at the Racine Community Center of Care, Racine.
Memorial services are pending.
*** Note: His date of birth is from the Social Security Death Index.
Kesler, Raymond Arnold (4 Jan. 1938 –
21 Jan. 1938)
Kesler, Vernon (1928 – 26 Jan. 1951)
* Cpl. Vernon Kesler, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Kesler of Marshfield and a nephew of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Jordan of Unity was killed in action in Korea, on January 26th.
Cpl. Kesler, a reservist, served previously in occupied Japan, was a Junior at St. Norbert's College in DePere and was recalled to service September 22nd.
He was born in Colby but moved to Marshfield a year later.
A Memorial Mass was read on Monday, February 12 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Marshfield with the Rev. Edmund Cramer officiating. Rosary services were held on Sunday.
Besides his parents he leaves eight brothers and sisters and a host of other relatives and friends.
*** Note: Vernon's year of birth is from Korean War Casualties, 1950 – 1957
Wood County
Wisconsin Genealogy Trails Home Page
To contribute or report broken links email County Host
Copyright © Genealogy Trails
All data on this website is Copyright by Genealogy Trails with full rights reserved for original submitters.


text:
Stem Cell Silence — Neither Clinton nor Obama commented on the recent news about the stem cell breakthrough. Mark I. at RedState thinks he knows why they remained silent:
These Democrats are the ones who claim to have so much compassion for the suffering and afflicted and who label their political opponents as heartless and cruel. So, why the silence on this advancement? In some cases it could be because the campaigns are seeking a way to appear to praise the announcement while not offending embryonic stem cell research advocates among the their supporters. For Sen. Hillary!™ Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama, it may be because in a crucial vote for ethical stem cell alternatives taken earlier this year, they voted no.
Although I follow this issue fairly closely, I wasn't aware these Senators had voted against the HOPE Act. Democratic voters should ask why their leading Presidential nominees voted against funding such promising research.
Christians & Government — Matt Kaufman has a very good article at Boundless that provides a basic understanding of the biblical role of government and how it should affect our vote. Kaufman contends that the primary purpose of government is protection of its citizens.
On Boundless's blog, The Line, Motte Brown adds some useful thoughts on the subject:
We see elsewhere (Proverbs 8:15,16; Romans 13:4) that God established government to make and enforce laws specifically so "that we may live peaceful and quiet lives." Beyond protection, there's no clear mandate for governmental responsibility found in Scripture, even when it comes to the physically poor. Proverbs 29 and Psalm 72 speak of rulers dealing justly with the poor. So the government has some responsibility. But not much. According to the Bible, the needy are to be cared for first by the family, and then the church.
Both Kaufman and Brown appear to take the "conservative" view of the Biblical mandate for government, a position on which I largely agree. I'd be interested to hear how politically liberal Christians use Scripture to justify the expansion of the role of government.
Politics as Vocation — At Theolog, the blog of The Christian Century magazine, David Heim has an excellent post on Christian engagement in politics. He begins by noting that some "significant voices on the right that are disillusioned about political engagement."
Skepticism about politics is always healthy. But it strikes me that [David] Kuo's and [Gregory] Boyd's comments reflect a broad, unhelpful tendency in American Christianity to oscillate between two poles: either a fervent engagement in politics for the sake of the gospel and the world, or an equally fervent detachment for the sake of the purity of the gospel and the health of the church. Isn't there something between the two poles?
Calling Greg Boyd a "voice on the right" will surely raise a few eyebrows. But aside from that minor quibble, Heim makes an important point worth considering:
Meanwhile, however, individual Christians have their particular vocations. In a democracy, all people have the vocation of citizen and so are in some degree called to the work of politics. Beyond that, a certain number of individual Christians are called to a more specific vocation: to study, analyze or participate in the day-to-day workings of politics. They make arguments and pay attention to data. They look for affinities between the gospel and political philosophies and programs. They listen to what constituents say and arguments other people make. Their work is fallible, limited, pervaded by sin, always subject to revision—but so are lots of vocations.
I think this is exactly right. My particular vocation (both my career and, to some extent, this blog) focuses on politics and public policy. And while I think it is important work, I certainly don't think it is any more or less important than most other vocations (though it can certainly be much duller than other fields, such as business or ministry). I also agree with Heim that the work is fallible, limited, pervaded by sin, and always subject to revision. If only we could be reminded of that fact every day before we begin our work, the world would be much better off.
(HT: A Thinking Reed, which also adds some useful thoughts to the discussion.
The Full Bard — The BBC is planning to produce new versions of all 37 of Shakespeare's plays:
[The BBC] has enlisted Sam Mendes, Oscar-winning director of American Beauty and Road to Perdition, and his Neal Street company to produce the entire canon over a 12-year period.
Some of the country's biggest stars – including Kate Winslet, who is married to Mendes, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, Jude Law, Dame Helen Mirren, and James McAvoy – are being tipped to take part in what will be one of the BBC's most expensive and ambitious drama series.
With quality television drama costing up to £900,000 an hour, the final bill could touch £100?million.


text:
March 15th, 2011by contemplative
I have thought about my chosen method for a while now. I have treatment resistant depression, and have done for the last 4 years. Recently, I have moved on from the classic, if slightly idle, suicidal ideation and into "how can I come up with a foolproof, no chance of finding/'rescuing' method?" I have tried hanging twice, and both times I hauled myself up the rope to end the pain, so hanging isn't really an option for my third and final attempt. My criteria are:
1) No chance of survival if I choose to go through with it,
2) Very little chance of anyone finding me during my attempt,
3) My family don't have to find the body,
4) Easily available materials, given that guns aren't really an option for me in the UK.
So here goes: despite having no access to firearms (UK), I have access to a rowing boat on the coast. I have decided that, when it's time, I will have a few drinks and/or benzos, maybe some opiates (to try to dull the pain involved), and row out to sea, (fishing gear with me to make it look non-worrisome to anyone involved) at 2-4am. I know that drowning can be fairly traumatic, and the urge to survive kicks in when your "executive" brain functions are in no position to argue (i.e. to persuade you that suicide is what you really want). With this in mind, I will take with me: 1 60lb metal weight; 1 pair of 'proper' handcuffs. I will row out at least a half mile, make sure the water is deep, handcuff my ankle to the weight, and  slip over the side. I can't see any potential problems, but I don't want to live as a vegetable, or have to row back to shore, because it didn't work.


text:
I have a confession to make. My Japanese is pretty crappy. There, I've said it.
I mean, I can read a menu. I can figure out what's going on when I watch a movie or join a conversation about everyday topics. I can go shopping and get around. And in my defence, Japanese has three writing systems, one of which contains thousands of ideograms. Nevertheless, I can't help thinking how great it would be to be able to read a whole newspaper….
I can think of several reasons why a language teacher should also be a language student.
- It makes one more empathetic towards the students.
- It helps understanding of WHY students make certain mistakes with English
- It enables the teacher to use L1 in the classroom
- It sets a good example for the students
A serious question of priorities. Ideally, I would study Japanese, teach, do classroom research, publish and present, spend time with my friends and family, watch the football, keep up my photography, and go to the gym. Some of you self-disciplined scoundrels manage it all, I know. But if you are native speaker of the language you teach, do you think it is more important to study another language, or to engage in professional development activities? Which, ultimately, makes you a better language teacher?


text:
Payday Loans In Oshawa
Are Times Tough? A Payday Loan May Be The Help You Need
One key tip for any person looking to sign up for a payday loan just isn't to accept the initial offer you get. Payday Loans In Oshawa aren't all the same and while they generally have horrible rates of interest, there are several that are a lot better than others. See what types of offers you could possibly get and then pick the best one.
Research the companies you would like the loan from. Don't select a company even though they look good in commercials. Take time to do some online research, searching for customer reviews and testimonials before you decide to give out information that is personal. Dealing with a reputable company goes a considerable ways in making the full process easier.
Learn about overdue penalties. Sometimes life gets in the form of fiscal responsibility. This means you must know what the contract entails. The fees will be really high with pay day loans.
If a payday advance in not offered in your state, you'll be able to look for closest state line. Find a state that allows pay day loans and make a visit to get your loan. And, as most loans are recovered electronically, you'll have to make one trip.
Be Careful That Payday Loans In Oshawa Don't Take Over Your Finances
You may need to get extra cash for some reason. One of the ways you can start to deal with those expenses is usually to take out a payday loan. This type of loan is a short-term cash injection which could just figure out for you. Read this article to get more information on pay day loans.
Always understand that the money that you borrow from the payday loan is going to be paid back directly from the paycheck. You need to insurance policy for this. If you do not, if the end of the pay period arrives, you will find that you do not have enough money to pay for your other bills.
If you take out a payday loan, ensure that you can afford to pay for it back within up to fourteen days. Payday Loans In Oshawa needs to be used only in emergencies, when you truly have zero other alternatives. When you take out a payday loan, and can't pay it back straight away, a pair of things happen. First, you have to cover a fee to keep re-extending your loan until you can pay it off. Second, you retain getting charged more and more interest.
Before taking out that cash advance, ensure you have no other choices available to you. Payday Loans In Oshawa costs you a lot in fees, so some other alternative can be quite a better solution to your overall financial predicament. Look to friends and family, family as well as your bank and credit union to see if there are some other potential choices you can make.